AKRON, Ohio — A family of Humboldt penguins just got bigger, and cuter, at the Akron Zoo. A Humboldt penguin, which is the chick to Dr. Oswald Cobblepot and Big Bertha, recently hatched at the Akron Zoo, and there are photos.
The 1-pound chick, born on May 11, is doing well while it remains in a habitat with foster parents Pez and Gabriella. The egg was a high priority for genetic diversity, so the Humboldt Penguin Species Survival Plan sent the egg to the zoo to participate in the penguin breeding program.
Before joining the colony of penguins, the chick will need to eat on his or her own, lose its down feathers and pass a swim test.
Humboldt penguins are native to Peru and Chili and are currently vulnerable to extinction. The decline in penguins is due to harvesting of guano by local farmers for agricultural fertilizers.
The Akron Zoo is home to 13 penguins, and it continues to participate in a breeding program that creates diverse populations of penguins in accredited facilities across the country.
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