Featured Image Credit: Shedd Aquarium
By: Sarah Sharkey
The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago recently welcomed a new penguin to their home. The Spheniscus Magellanic chick was born in the aquarium on May 12th. It weighed a total of 95 grams and was off to a healthy start. It already gained 8 grams by its second day on the planet.
It is too early to tell if the chick is a male or a female. In about a year, the aquarium said that it will send out a DNA sample to find out whether the chick is a boy or a girl. It is also expected that the chick will be named around its first birthday.
The chick is the first to be born at the zoo since 2015. Everyone is extremely excited to help this new chick along. For now, the chick will stay in its parent’s nest for between 75 and 90 days. The mom and dad will split the responsibilities equally in order to raise a healthy chick.
The trainers will assist the parent penguins as needed. They will monitor the chick’s activity, hydration, food intake and more through sensors and cameras throughout the penguin habitat. They will only step in if something seems not right. Currently, the chick is doing well and it is hoped it will stay that way for a long time.
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