Thirty penguin chicks have been born at SeaWorld San Diego since mid-November, marking one of the most successful breeding seasons in the marine park’s history. The newborns include 7 macaroni penguins, 6 gentoo penguins and 17 Adélies penguins.
While proud penguin parents are rearing some of the chicks in the chilly 25-degree Penguin Encounter exhibit, SeaWorld employees are hand-raising others in a nursery.
Weighing only a few ounces at birth, the chicks reach their full size — between 8 and 12 pounds — within three months of hatching. SeaWorld doesn’t name the penguins.
More than 500 penguin chicks have been hatched and raised at SeaWorld since 1980.
Top photo: A macaroni penguin father and his chick.
Bottom photo: Parent and chick gentoo penguins nuzzle together.
— Brady MacDonald, Los Angeles Times staff writer @
http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/photos-penguin-baby--3742/
Photos credit: SeaWorld San Diego
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