Racine Zoo: Healthy African Penguin chick hatches
African Penguin chick hatches at Racine Zoo
RACINE, Wis. - The Racine Zoo's staff announced on Thursday, June 26 the hatching of a healthy African Penguin chick.
African Penguin chick hatches
What we know:
The chick was born on May 3 and zoo officials said the chick has been doing great behind-the-scenes with its parents and the rest of the colony.
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African Penguin chick hatches at Racine Zoo
A news release says the penguin weighed just 0 grams at one day old. It currently weighs 2,500 grams – or roughly 5 ½ pounds. Officials say the chick is now eating full-sized smelt and capelin.
What they're saying:
"Penguin breeding is always a little bit of a stressful time for animal care staff with only about 50% of eggs being fertile and being successful hatches," says Angie Sagert, Assistant Curator and Primary Penguin Keeper at the Racine Zoo. "But when everything works out and you end up with a happy, healthy chick, it is very rewarding. It has been so fun watching this chick grow up."
African Penguin chick hatches at Racine Zoo
Dig deeper:
The Racine Zoo is a member of the African Penguin Species Survival Program. It works alongside other accredited AZA zoos and aquariums to ensure healthy African penguin populations in both zoos and in the wild.
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African Penguin chick hatches at Racine Zoo
African penguins face threats from overfishing, oil spills, loss of habitat, overexploitation for food, and climate change.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Racine Zoo.