The rockhopper penguin was born at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, less than a month after it hatched did a photo shoot and posed for cameras.
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It’s a Mac. The Tennessee Aquarium announces its first baby penguin of 2015. In the meantime, the bouncing baby bird will be known simply as #23.
The fluffy chick serves as an ambassador for its species, which is presently listed as “vulnerable” to endangerment by the worldwide Union for the Conservation of Nature. ‘Until then, we need to make sure they do not accidently end up in the water.’ The clear barrier, located on the far left-hand side of the exhibit, allows Aquarium guests to observe the chick’s behaviors and also see how the parents feed the chick. Edward and Annie are the parents of the new chick.
Shedd’s newest rockhopper penguin sits on a scale as animal care staff measure her weight before a feeding.
The baby penguin has grown quite bit in the past three weeks, weighing 7 ounces now.
There are no observable sex differences in rockhopper penguins, so experts do not know yet if the chick is male or female. The Shedd said it wouldn’t be able to determine the chick’s gender until it turned one year of age. It’s just learning how to groom its soft feathers, a sign the aquarium uses to track development.
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Within the next few months the chick will begin moving around on its own.
