An African Penguin's First Swim at the Mystic Aquarium

Mystic Aquarium Trainer Sarah Misslin Takes An African Penguin For It's First Swim

By Becky Giantonio

Mystic, CT - Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration’s newest African penguin chick is all grown up and has the swimming skills to prove it! This morning, the chick took its first swim in the waters of the Roger Tory Peterson Penguin Exhibit and was introduced to the public for the first time.

The chick, whom many watched grow on the aquarium’s live Web cam, is 78 days old today. It is fully weaned and ready to begin its acclimation to the exhibit and aquarium’s colony of penguins.

“The first step is learning to swim,” said Laurie Macha, supervisor of penguins and pinnipeds at Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration. “While penguin chicks tend to float very well, they must learn to dive and navigate using their wings and feet. Chicks usually learn these skills within a day, but until then, they pop to the surface quickly!”

The chick was hesitant to go into the water at first, but after being carefully guided in by a penguin trainer, it took off, swimming around the exhibit and eventually finding its way back to the exhibit’s dry areas.
The chick was also introduced to a few of the colony’s more docile birds and will slowly be introduced to the aquarium’s other penguins to establish its place within the colony.

By the end of April, the chick will be on exhibit a few hours each day. The hours guests can see the chick will be posted on mysticaquarium.org.

About Sea Research Foundation, Inc.
Mystic Aquarium, Institute for Exploration and Immersion Presents are divisions of Sea Research Foundation, Inc., a private, non-profit, charitable organization incorporated in the State of Connecticut. The mission of Sea Research is to inspire people to care for and protect our ocean planet through education, research and exploration.

To see Mystic Aquarium's web page on Z&A, go to: http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-38-Mystic_Aquarium_&_Institute_for_Exploration

Story and images courtesy of Zoo and Aquarium Visitor@
http://www.zandavisitor.com/newsarticle-1264-Mystic_Aquarium_Trainer_Sarah_Misslin_Takes_An_African_Penguin_For_Its_First_Swim