Thursday, April 21, 2011
The first chick hatched out at 5.10pm on Monday and the second at 8.53am the following day.
Humboldt penguins Mumbles and Woody had been patiently brooding the first two penguin eggs to be laid at Sea Life, where a colony of eight birds was established just two years ago.
Penguin keeper Christine Pitcher shed tears of joy when she discovered the eggs on March 16.
Mumbles and Woody were both captive-born themselves only four years ago, at Sea Life centres in Scarborough and Weymouth respectively.
“Though they are still very young they have taken their parental duties very seriously,” said Christine. “Both have took turns at brooding the eggs, and Woody was especially conscientious about the whole business, even doing extra duties when mum Mumbles seemed to get a bit fed up.”
As there are three pairs of Humboldts plus two spare males in the Yarmouth colony Christine is hoping the two fluffy bundles turn out to be girls.
Whatever their gender, however, their names have already been chosen.
One will be called Pitcher after Christine surname and the other Tilly, which is what Christine’s mum used to call her.
“She has been so dedicated to those birds we decided it was only right the first hatchlings should be named after her,” said General Manager Terri Harris.
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