ZooBorns

Pipping Penguin from Egg to Baby Bird

A short and sweet video showing the process of an African Penguin chick emerging from it's shell, called pipping, from egg to baby bird! The New England Aquarium has had a penguin baby boom this summer so if you live in the Boston area, definitely make the trip.

Name a Penguin Chick in New England!

Since late May, the New England Aquarium has hatched eleven healthy African Penguin chicks in their special "hatching room." Having grown steadily since then, they are now ready for their public debut in the main exhibit.

With so many chicks, they are looking for help naming them. Submit your suggestions between now and Sunday, 8/22. They are looking for names that will build awareness about African Penguin conservation. For example, an older penguin was named Treasure, after the devastating MV Treasure oil spill off the coast of South Africa in 2000. Our suggestions? Pingu McHabitatdestruction or Avon Squawksdale...

Photo credits: New England Aquarium

If any of you ZooBorns readers have your suggestions picked, please let us know, and we'll share the good news on our Facebook page!

Gently Does it with a Brand New Gentoo Chick

All eyes were focused on a tiny, fuzzy, baby Penguin at the Tennessee Aquarium on July 1st. The new Gentoo chick came into the world after a day-long hatching process called pipping. “We started to see the beak poking through a small hole in the shell late Tuesday,” said aviculturist Loribeth Aldrich. “Early last evening the chick was completely out and vocalizing.”

Photo Credits: Tenessee Aquarium

Rescued Penguins Return to the Wild

When Australian surfers found three weak juvenile penguins on beaches near Sydney, they contacted the Taronga Zoo, which admitted them to their animal hospital. After almost three months of rehab, the still tiny penguins were healthy enough to return to their ocean home. Watch some of their recovery and their release in the touching video below and make sure to catch their post meal singing session around minute 1:40.

Penguins come ashore to molt and during that time they are particularly vulnerable to predators.

Gentoo Penguin Chick's Got Slappy Feet

After a successful mating season for the Edinburgh Zoo's gentoo penguins, little chicks started emerging May 7th. Now they are growing fast and learning their first dance steps.

Photo Credits: Edinburgh Zoo

More pics and info below the fold...

Super Fluffy Penguin Puff Explosion

Wild Humboldt penguins are vulnerable to extinction in the wild and institutions like the Santa Barbara Zoo are working diligently to ensure that captive populations represent the most genetic diversity possible. The parents of these little chicks were carefully selected for this purpose but they also must have been an exceptionally good looking penguin couple, since these are some of the best penguin chick pictures yet!

The first pictures feature Desi, born March 16th, as a young chick and a fluffy, waddling juvenile:

See pictures of Desi's younger sibling below the fold!

Day-Old Gentoo Penguin Chicks at Edinburgh Zoo

Edinburgh Zoo celebrated the hatching of its first Gentoo Penguin chicks of the year this weekend.  Photographer Debbie Grant snapped these little ones on Saturday. Gentoos are known for their unique circular nests that they build out of piles of stones. Some penguins give each other stones as gifts, typically to curry favor with the opposite sex. Kind of a penguin Valentine's Day.

Photo Credits: Debbie Grant taken at the Edinburgh Zoo

Adoptive Parents Save Endangered Penguin Chick

Quick thinking and action by staff at Denver Zoo and Pueblo Zoo probably saved the life of an African penguin chick. On March 20, four days past its due date, the chick was assisted with emerging from its shell by Pueblo Zoo Animal Care Coordinator Melanie Pococke. Pococke then sought help from Denver Zoo staff in caring for the tiny bird, when the hatchling’s biological parents at Pueblo Zoo were unable to care for it.

Zookeepers from each zoo met halfway to bring the chick to Denver Zoo where it was placed under the care of experienced parents. The chick’s surrogate father, Durban, and mother, Spencer, are now taking excellent care of their adopted youngster.

 

Zookeepers always prefer animals are raised by their parents or surrogates of the same species. This helps ensure they have the skills to raise their own young. Upon receiving the chick, Durban and Spencer immediately began “brooding” the chick by covering it with their bodies and wings for protection and quickly began feeding it.

Photo Credits: Photo Credit: Greg Henry/Denver Zoo 

Little Penguin Chick Makes Video Debut

Earlier this week we shared the Woodland Park Zoo's announcement of a newborn Humboldt penguin chick. Today the hatchling makes its video debut.

Video credits: Ryan Hawk / Voice credits: Katie Norton 

Learn more in the press release below or on the Woodland Park Zoo's blog.

Easter Bunny Comes Early and Brings Penguins!

Yesterday, April Fool's Day ;), marked the first birth for Woodland Park Zoo's Humboldt Penguin parents Dora and P.J.. Humboldt penguin chicks hatch with grayish brown, downy feathers, which molt into completely gray feathers when they fledge. It will be early summer before any of the chicks emerge from the nesting burrows and venture outdoors into the public exhibit for visitors to enjoy.

 

Photo Credits: Ryan Hawk / Woodland Park Zoo

Find out more and follow the progress at the WPZ's Blog.