Wiinterrr's Day: #MysticAquarium celebrates #PenguinAwarenessDay

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

#MysticAquarium celebrates #PenguinAwarenessDay

By Annie Shalvey Published: January 20, 2015

MYSTIC, Conn. (WPRI) — Mystic Aquarium is celebrating National Penguin Awareness Day, the company announced on Tuesday.

In celebration of the penguin-loving day, Mystic Aquarium introduced their newest African penguin to the public on Tuesday.

The chick of the mother African penguin hatched on Jan. 8 and is doing well. According to a statement, the gender of the chick is currently unknown as there are no external characteristics to distinguish between males and females. DNA testing will be preformed in the coming months to determine it’s gender.

In March, the aquarium will broadcast the chick’s progress through their new “Penguin Cam.” Celebrations will also be planned in April for the chick’s first swim and in June for a gender reveal.

Mystic Aquarium is also celebrating National Penguin Awareness Day by having a penguin “take over” on their social media sites. Every hour on Jan. 20, Mystic Aquarium’s Facebook and Twitter feeds will post videos, images, and interesting facts about African penguins.

The African penguins were deemed endangered in 2010, and the aquarium loves to use this day to spread awareness about them. The penguins at Mystic play a big role in the African penguin Species Survival Plan, and the aquarium’s work allows for researchers to understand penguin behavior in the wild.
For more information about the penguins or the aquarium, visit www.mysticaquarium.org.

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