Baby Little Blue Penguin hatches at Birch Aquarium for first time ever
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A baby Little Blue Penguin hatched at Birch Aquarium on New Year’s Day, marking the first time ever a chick has hatched at the aquarium, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego announced Thursday.
The baby chick is also the first Little Blue Penguin to hatch on the West Coast.
As the baby penguin grows, the aquarium says it will stay behind the scenes for the first few months of its life. It is being hand-raised by their penguin care team.
During its first few weeks, the baby penguin was fed a blended formula of fish, krill and vitamins. It’s now alternating between formula and a few pieces of fish a few times a day and will soon graduate to eating whole fish.
New home for the holidays: Birch Aquarium takes in five new penguins
Birch Aquarium says the penguin chick has nearly tripled in size since it hatched.
The chick is currently covered in fluffy down feathers that are not waterproof. When the chick molts for the first time it will grow in its waterproof feathers. That’s when the aquarium says it will be ready, in around three months, to join the rest of the penguin colony.
Watch the baby penguin emerge from its egg and develop into an adorable ball of fluff in Birch Aquarium at Scripps’ Facebook reel.
The aquarium says this marks a remarkable milestone in the their penguin conservation efforts and cooperative breeding program efforts with other Association of Zoos and Aquariums institutions.
Big Bear’s bald eagle couple now have three eggs
“Birch Aquarium has significantly expanded its breeding and conservation efforts over the years,” said Harry Helling, Executive Director. “The hatching of our first Little Blue Penguin chick is a major milestone for how today’s aquariums can make a difference in a changing planet.”
The gender of the baby penguin has yet to be announced. However, Birch Aquarium says it will be revealed very soon.
The aquarium says it hopes this new arrival will inspire the public to continue to protect our oceans as wild populations of Little Blue Penguins are facing numerous challenges from climate change.
“Penguins are impacted by climate change and are indicative of the health of the oceans,” said Jenn Nero Moffatt, Senior Director of Animal Care, Science and Conservation. “It is critical that we not only protect wild populations but continue to maintain a healthy and genetically diverse population of Little Blue Penguins in human care. Our efforts provide sanctuary and serve as a repository for this important bird species.”
Museum Month: Museums are half-off in February in San Diego, Tijuana, and Baja California
Don’t miss half-off admission to Birch Aquarium for the entire month of February part of San Diego Museum Month.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
