It’s been a very exciting start to hatching season here at the park, with five Humboldt penguin chicks arriving so far – the most we’ve ever had at one time.
Each tiny chick has hatched after an incubation period of around 40 days and is now being carefully looked after in their nest boxes by their parents. At this stage, life is all about feeding, resting and growing, and they’re already making great progress.
Behind the scenes, the keeper team has been carrying out regular weigh-ins to make sure each chick is feeding well and developing as expected. Humboldt penguin chicks grow quickly, starting life covered in soft grey down before gradually developing their waterproof feathers over the coming months.
To celebrate this year’s arrivals, the chicks recently took part in a rather unusual press photo shoot – each one carefully photographed in their own fish cooler bucket so we could keep track of who was who. It certainly made for a very busy scene out of view…
Over the next few weeks, the chicks will continue to grow stronger and start to change as their adult feathers develop. Before long, they’ll begin venturing out from their nest boxes and joining the rest of the colony.
For now, though, they’re exactly where they need to be – safe, warm, and very well looked after.
We can’t wait to share more updates as this record-breaking group continues to grow. And we may soon need your help in naming them… Keep an eye out!