Submitted by Joe Legge on October 5, 2009 - 5:02pm. Hamilton County News
Only one of three penguin chicks that hatched this Summer at the Tennessee Aquarium survived.
The four-month old marked its first full day as part of the "Penguin's Rock" exhibit today.
Parents Paulie and Chaos nursed the chick to good health. The baby spent the past couple of weeks being integrated with the other penguins -- and learning to swim.
It's a little smaller than the adults, features a black beak, and its' yellow feathers still haven't grown in.
Loribeth Aldrich, Aviculturist with the Tennessee Aquarium, says "the parents for the past few weeks have not had any interest in the chick. The chick to them is an adult and can fend for itself. It eats on its own. The parents are really attached to the nest... And the only reason the nest is still there is we want a safe place to put the chick at night."
Aquarium workers still don't know the sex of the penguin, and probably wont until conducting a blood test next month. A contest may be held to pick a name.
Source:
http://www.wdef.com/news/baby_penguin_added_to_penguins_rock_exhibit_at_tennessee_aquarium/10/2009
VIDEO:
http://wdef.com/video/baby_penguin_added_to_penguins_rock_exhibit_at_tennessee_aquarium/10/2009_0
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