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CHICAGO - Lincoln Park Zoo has welcomed a new African penguin chick.
What we know:
It hatched on Oct. 1, after roughly 40 days in incubation. The chick is healthy, and the sex has not yet been determined.
The chick's parents, Rosie and Cecil, as part of the African Penguin Species Survival Plan, a collaborative population management effort among the Association of Zoos and Aquariums institutions.
The chick's foster parents, Liam and Maria, have been raising the little one due to their natural parenting instincts. Cecil and Rosie have not had success raising chicks in the past.
At the chick's last veterinary exam, it weighed 4.23 lbs. It will still be a few weeks before the babe is ready to join the other African penguins at the Robert and Mayari Pritzker Penguin Cove.
Penguin enthusiasts are encouraged to submit their suggestions for a name by visiting the zoo's Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok accounts. A naming contest will begin soon.
What they're saying:
"As a critically endangered species, each new African penguin chick represents an immense amount of hope for the species’ future. It’s a true testament to the collective work being done by zoos, field researchers, and conservationists worldwide to turn the tide for African penguins," said Hope B. McCormick Curator of Birds Nicole Finch-Mason. "It’s been great to see Liam and Maria rise to the occasion as fosters, giving them a chance to experience parenthood regardless of their genetics."
The Source: Details for this story were provided by the Lincoln Park Zoo.