Humboldt Penguin Hatched, Hand-Reared In U.K. Zoo (PHOTOS)

The Humboldt Penguins have grey feathers that will turn black and white after a year.

By Kareen Liez E. Datoy | Jul 19, 2015

Two penguins Miski and Aurora stick together in Paradise Park. (Photo : Paradise Park) 

 

Humboldt Penguin chicks were born at Paradise Park, in Hayle, Cornwall, U.K. and are being hand-reared by the staff.
 

"These two wonderful little characters are proving very popular with visitors. They are now ten weeks old and have been given the Peruvian names Miski and Aurora. They eat around 200g of fresh fish a day and are being hand-reared, as the eggs were laid outside the nesting caves and not protected from weather or disturbance," Curator David Woolcock said, according to Zoo Borns.

(Photo : Paradise Park)
The penguins are ten weeks old and have grey feathers.

Meanwhile, another younger chick named Poppy needed care because it wasn't putting on enough weight when she was with her parents. But one other chick is healthy and is being reared by its parents in the nest.

Chicks leave their nests after three months, and they would have fluffy grey down feathers. After a few months, their plumage, which they need for swimming, becomes waterproof. At a year old, black and white penguin plumage will be developed instead of gray and white. One distinctive feature of every penguin is the dark speckles on their lower chest that differs from one penguin to another.

(Photo : Paradise Park)
They are being hand-reared in the zoo including another penguin named Poppy.

 

(Photo : Paradise Park)
A baby penguin when hatched has to stay in the nest for three months.

Miski and Aurora are making regular appearances at the Humboldt Penguin group at Paradise Park, twice in a day during feeding time.

The Humboldt Penguin is native to South America and breeds in coastal Chile and Peru. They are currently classified as "Vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened and Endangered Species because their population is declining due to over-fishing, climate change, habitat destruction and ocean acidification.

source