AKRON, Ohio — Less than a month after hatching, two young endangered snowy owls at the Akron Zoo have died, the zoo announced in a statement.

The owlets died early Tuesday, August 23.

Zoo staff is heartbroken, said Shane Good, the zoo’s senior director of animal care.

“Our avian care team worked tirelessly to provide a comfortable environment for our snowy owls to breed, and we will continue to offer Frost and Cirrus the best care,” he said. “The unexpected loss of our owlets is very deeply felt by our staff, who dedicate their lives to providing exceptional care to all our animal residents every day.”

Frost and Cirrus, the zoo’s adult snowy owls, are in good health, the zoo said.

The owlets, which are listed on the IUCN Red List as vulnerable to extinction, hatched a few days apart — one on Sunday, July 31 and the other Wednesday, Aug. 3.   

An animal autopsy, known as a necropsy, revealed no trauma, injury or illness, the zoo said.

Having the baby owls hatch at the zoo was a first for the organization, which participates in the Snowy Owl Species Survival Plan, the zoo said.

Snowy owls have a 33% mortality rate in their first year, according to the Snowy Owl Species Survival Plan.

The snowy owl program is one of 49 species survival plans the zoo participates in through its accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.  

The program enables AZA zoos to work together to coordinate the care and protection of threatened and endangered species, working to ensure genetic diversity.