PHOTO COURTESY OF MYSTIC AQUARIUM
Blue Brown, an African penguin chick who hatched on Jan. 20, takes its first plunge Thursday at Mystic Aquarium. Penguin fans from around the world have been watching the chicks grow up during the last few months in anticipation of their first swim. By month’s end, the chicks will be on exhibit at the aquarium for a few hours each day.
Friday, April 22, 2011
MYSTIC - After a long, cold winter spent mostly indoors, Mystic Aquarium's African Penguin chicks are finally ready to stretch their wings.
Blue-brown and blue-silver, 91 and 77 days old, respectively, took their first swim in the pool at the aquarium's penguin exhibit Thursday morning before a large crowd of aquarium-goers.
The young penguins were hesitant to get in the water, but with a little encouragement and gentle prodding from trainers, they eventually jumped right in.
Young African Penguins typically live with their parents until they're roughly 50 days old, at which point their parents stop recognizing them and they're forced to begin fending for themselves. At the aquarium, this means the birds are moved indoors and taught to feed from trainers.
Now that their soft down feathers have been replaced by waterproof juvenile plumage, the birds are ready to be gradually reintroduced into the penguin exhibit. Thursday's first swim was part of that process.
The aquarium doesn't name its penguins, referring to them instead by the colors on their identification tags.
For more information about the aquarium's penguins, visit the aquarium in person or the aquarium's web site.
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