At England’s Chester Zoo, there’s a glimmer of hope for a species of dove that’s been extinct in the wild for over 50 years. That’s because eight Socorro dove chicks hatched this month from one of the rarest birds in the world.

Known as squabs, the new chicks are part of a global conservation-breeding program keeping the species alive in zoos across Europe and North America. There are fewer than 200 Socorro doves remaining worldwide; Chester Zoo maintains two breeding pairs.

Native to Mexico’s Socorro Island, Socorro doves disappeared from the wild due to habitat destruction and the introduction of feral cats. The last sighting came in 1972, according to the zoo.

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The new squabs are being looked after very carefully by zoo staff, who wrote in a post to social media that “every single chick is a huge part of bringing this rare bird back from the brink,” and added “these new chicks are strengthening the vital insurance population, keeping hope alive for their return to the wild.”

Senior writer Chris DeWeese edits Morning Brief, The Weather Channel’s newsletter.