Shivers,
the Tennessee Aquarium's first gentoo chick, turns one today. Keepers
say her personality has changed a bit over the past year. Initially
Shivers was rather feisty, but lately she has taken on a more friendly
demeanor.
Penguins
grow quickly and Shivers was no exception. Looking back on her baby
pictures it was hard to believe that she looked almost like an adult in
roughly three months. But even six months later she would pester mom for
a free feeding.
Penguin
chicks look so clumsy once they become "toddlers." Look at how big her
feet looked in this photo in relation to the rest of her body. I guess
this might be considered a picture of Shivers' "awkward" stage.
Aviculturists
like Loribeth Aldrich, spend a lot of extra hours caring for penguin
chicks. The first few weeks are delicate times for penguins. In the wild
there are additional challenges, such as avoiding predators like skuas.
At the Aquarium, tiny birds only come face to face with their skilled
keepers.
Shivers
was well-fed by her parents so aviculturists did not have to step in
and supplement her diet. Shivers was placed in an acrylic bowl for
regular weigh-ins to ensure she was gaining weight at a steady rate.
We'll have to wait until next year to see if any more baby penguins appear at the Tennessee Aquarium.
Reprinted from the Tennessee Aquarium Blog--Check it out by clicking HERE
No comments:
Post a Comment