GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — John Ball Zoo is welcoming three new healthy, fluffy Magellanic penguin chicks to its family.
All born within the last three weeks, the chicks have made two different sets of penguins proud parents. One chick was born to its mother Rio, 19, and its father Quffy, 24, and two chicks were born to their mother Qberta, 16, and their father Hogan, 14.
“We are excited to welcome these penguin chicks to John Ball Zoo,” said Dan Hemmann, curator at John Ball Zoo. “Our animal care team is closely monitoring the chicks and their parents as they care for their babies. Both sets of parents have been very attentive, and the chicks are thriving and growing stronger each day.”
The zoo said the animal care team is currently being as hands-off as possible to let the parents care for their chicks.
Unfortunately, none of the chicks are visible to the public right now because they're being covered and protected by their parents, but once they grow larger they'll be out and about for all to see.
The zoo said they're closely monitoring the chicks to make sure they're being fed and growing up healthy.
Once the chicks are old enough to start venturing away from the nest, zookeepers will move them to an off-habitat area to help them get used to taking food from people.
When the chicks have waterproof swim feathers and zookeepers are sure they can get in and out of the pool on their own, they'll be moved back into the habitat.
The zoo has raised 46 penguins from birth to adulthood since 2000, including the four parents of the new chicks.
This is thanks to the zoo's participation in the Species Survival Plan Program created by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Magellanic penguins are a near-threatened species found in South America, mainly in Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands.
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