First king penguin hatched at the Kansas City Zoo is being hand-raised
For the first time, a king penguin has hatched at the Kansas City Zoo, officials announced Monday.
The Saint Louis Zoo had a surplus egg and provided it to the Kansas City Zoo, where it was incubated and where it will grow and live with the 15 adult king penguins here.
The chick hatched on Nov. 8. It is being hand-fed because officials do not believe it would be adopted by the other birds.
At 12 days old the chick weighs about 280 grams. It will grow to be about 33 pounds and as tall as a yardstick. Kings are the second largest penguins after emperors.
“Right now, the chick is eating a fish ‘formula’ five times a day,” the zoo said in announcing the hatchling. “As it grows it will graduate to fish chunks, then fish slices and finally whole fish.”
The sex of the young bird will be determined through a blood test.
It will be introduced to the zoo’s four female and 11 male kings gradually, initially being cordoned off from the flock.
Matt Campbell: 816-234-4902, @MattCampbellKC
This story was originally published November 20, 2017 at 11:33 AM with the headline "First king penguin hatched at the Kansas City Zoo is being hand-raised."