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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) A rare African penguin chick has hatched at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo.
Zoo officials introduced the endangered African black-footed penguin to the media on Wednesday – Penguin Awareness Day. The now-8-week-old chick, named Echo, was born at the zoo on Nov. 24.
Echo is the first African penguin to hatch at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo since 2012. Both of her parents (Chunk and Flash) were also born, and still live, at the zoo.
Her species (African black-footed penguin) is endangered, so she will help the zoo bring awareness to endangered species.
At just few weeks old, zoo keepers started hand-feeding Echo so she would learn to accept food from the keepers, zoo officials said.
She’s still learning and growing, so she won’t be re-introduced to the zoo’s colony of penguins until the spring. Zoo officials said you can come meet her and her parents this summer.
FUN FACT: the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo doesn’t put their penguins (African black-footed) outside if the temperature is below 32 degrees because they prefer warmer climates. They’re native to southern Africa, so that’s why you see them outside all summer but they go inside during winter.
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