Friday, May 22, 2015

Endangered penguin chick makes public debut at the Akron Zoo



Published:
An endangered Humboldt penguin hatched at the Akron Zoo on Feb. 12, and is now on exhibit.
The male chick has been named Anadeo, which means "waddle" in Spanish. The chick has been inside its burrow since hatching but staff has been bringing him onto exhibit to introduce him to his new surroundings and it is expected Anadeo will be spending more time on exhibit now.

With Anadeo's birth, the zoo is now home to 16 Humboldt penguins. Anadeo is the 14th chick born at the zoo since Penguin Point opened in 2003. At birth Anadeo weighed under one pound; currently he weighs about 7 pounds and is 14" tall.

Humboldt penguins are warm climate penguins, unlike their Antarctic relatives. They are commonly found in temperate coastal regions of Peru and Chile. Humboldt penguins are endangered primarily due to commercial harvesting of guano for agricultural fertilizer. Without nesting locations, Humboldt penguins are in jeopardy of extinction. Some estimates indicate the possibility of extinction in the wild in the next 10 years.

The Akron Zoo is offering the opportunity to support their latest addition and the Humboldt penguin species through their Care for a Critter Program. To become a sponsor visit www.akronzoo.org
The Akron Zoo is proud to care for these penguins as part of the Humboldt Penguin Species Survival Plan (SSP). The mission of the SSP is to help ensure the survival of selected wildlife species.

Through scientifically-controlled managed breeding programs, SSP's are a proactive approach to preventing extinction. SSP's were formed in 1981 and are managed by the Association of Zoo's & Aquariums, of which the Akron Zoo is an accredited member.

Zoo hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The zoo is at 500 Edgewood Ave. in Akron. For more information, visit www.akronzoo.org or call 330-375-2550.

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