Endangered baby penguins are ‘melting hearts’ — and helping species, AZ aquarium says
A trio of adorably fluffy endangered baby penguins born at an Arizona aquarium is “melting hearts.”
Jess Peranteau, the director of animal care and education with OdySea Aquarium, said in a Feb. 18 news release that the hatching of any endangered species “calls for a celebration.”
“It is with great pride that we celebrate the arrival of these precious birds and the genetic diversity they bring to the greater population within the zoological community,” Peranteau said.
The African penguin population has “declined over 95% since pre-industrial times and the species is listed as endangered,” according to the nonprofit Earth Day.
An estimated 75,000 to 80,000 African penguins are left in the wild, according to conservation website OurEndangedWorld.
The African penguin population “continues to rapidly decline — down 23% in the past two years alone,” Peranteau said.
The species may go extinct by 2026 “if current climate change and human activity trends continue,” Earth Day said.
Luckily, though, the aquarium’s new “tiny additions” have a genetic diversity that make them “highly valuable to the endangered African penguin species,” the aquarium said.
Two of the chicks were born to “power couple” Mojo, mom, and Lemieux, dad, as part of the Species Survival Plan, “a sophisticated breeding program established by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums” more than 30 years ago, the aquarium said.
Nineteen days after Mojo and Lemieux’s babies arrived, one more penguin was born to first-time parents Bubbles, mom, and Weasley, dad, according to the aquarium.
The aquarium said it has now had 13 successful African penguin hatchlings.
The aquarium will continue to frequently check on the chicks with brief exams to keep tabs on their development and growth, the aquarium said.
The chicks genders haven’t been determined yet, the aquarium said. They also have not been named but instead are only known as 42, 43 and 44.
The chicks and their parents will be “behind the scenes for now,” but the aquarium plans to provide “chick check” updates on social media.
OdySea Aquarium is in Scottsdale.
This story was originally published February 21, 2023 at 3:15 PM with the headline "Endangered baby penguins are ‘melting hearts’ — and helping species, AZ aquarium says."
