Sunday 7th July 2013 in News
By Jenny Makin, Crime Reporter
One of the Humboldt penguin chicks at Marwell Zoo
Just like the legendary singers they have been named after, these little divas are set to prove an enormous hit with the thousands of people desperate to see them.
This year’s group of fledglings born at the Hampshire attraction have been named after music legends – with Barry and Stevie already in the colony in homage to worldwide superstars Barry White and Stevie Wonder.
A third baby penguin is yet to make a public appearance and is still sheltering in the den while park keepers desperately wait for it to pop out.
Staff are keeping their fingers crossed that the final chick will be a female as they plan to name it after country and western star Dolly Parton.
Marwell has always been an active zoo in penguin breeding with its popular Humboldt penguins are classified as vulnerable mainly due to the over-harvesting of fish stocks.
Anna Ing, Marwell’s team leader for birds, said: “It is always so exciting when eggs are hatching. This year is particularly special as we have three new penguin pairings.
“When the young first come out of the den they have been fed so much they appear bigger than their parents, this is due to a build up of fat reserves.
“You can tell the fledglings apart however as they have white blank chests unlike the adult plumage which has a dark stripe”.
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