Mini-Chick-Boom!

More Little Blue Chicks For NZ Penguin Encounter


(6 November 2008)

A mini baby boom is unfolding at the New Zealand Penguin Encounter at Christchurch's International Antarctic Centre.

Two new Little Blue penguin chicks have been born, joining the first chick that arrived in October, while two other eggs may produce chicks within the next few days.

The latest chicks, which hatched a week ago, were born to the same parents from a clutch of two separate eggs that were laid in separate burrows.

Director Richard Benton says baby monitors have been installed in their nests so that they can be monitored, and so far they seem to be doing well.

"Our chick population is growing with our first one now approaching the six-week mark and already weighing more than her mother, while we also have another two eggs that are being watched over, so we are hopeful we will have more chicks later this week," Mr Benton says.

The parents of the latest chicks are Poppi and Lincoln. Two years ago Lincoln arrived at the Penguin Encounter with a broken beak while his partner had suffered a serious bite to her leg. However, the proud mother is now doing well as are her chicks, which have already doubled their birth weight of 30 grams.

Meanwhile, the Encounter's first chick now weighs in at 1kg - heavier than Mum Zane, which is 800g but still short of its father, Fats, which is 1.3kg. Rangers say Fats is the centre's laziest and fattest penguin.

The chick, which is fed regurgitated sprats by its parents up to six times a day, is expected to move in with the rest of the adult population in about two weeks.

Story courtesy of Voxy.co.nz @

http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/more-little-blue-chicks-nz-penguin-encounter/5/5109