On June 9, a newly hatched penguin chicken made his debut at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. The fuzzy little baby, currently named Chick #23, is steadily growing and under the watchful eye of Shedd's animal care team.
This baby penguin may be small, but he already has a big personality! The animal specialists filmed the rockhopper penguin chick, one of the smallest types of penguins in the world, as he got a check-up and took part in its daily feeding.
The staff says the baby is attempting to groom its down-like plumage, which is a milestone to assess the growth of the bird. Both parents, Edward and Annie, are sharing responsibilities and feeding duties and attentively caring for their baby.
When Chick #23 turns one, zookeepers will give it a genetic test to determine whether the chick is a boy or a girl and then give the penguin a proper name. (During their first year, there are no observable sex differences in rockhopper penguins.)
Rockhopper penguins are listed as a "vulnerable" species to endangerment by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
"Guests can try to spot chick #23 in Shedd's Polar Play Zone, where it is currently in its nest with its parents. It will be another month or so before the chick begins to wander on its own," the zoo said in a press release.
Please SHARE this adorable penguin chick with all your friends.
