‘Happiness is hatching:’ Kansas City Zoo welcomes four new king penguin chicks
“Happiness is hatching,” according to the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, following the hatching of four king penguin chicks at the zoo’s Helzberg Penguin Plaza.
According to a post on the zoo’s Facebook page, the four chicks were all born within the past month, from Jan. 23 to Feb. 15. Right now, only one can be seen by the public.
The first chick, which hatched on Jan. 23, was born to parents Dumpling and Gilbert, who are “incredibly attentive and doting” to their baby, the post said. Zookeepers have been unable to identify the chick’s sex.
Parents Kingsley and Ceyenne welcomed the second chick of the creche, a baby boy named King Julien, on Feb. 2, the post said.
Penguins Brrger and Peepers parented the third chick, born on Feb. 10, although dad Brrger quickly “moved on to be with another mate,” the post said.
The zoo considered introducing a foster penguin into the mix, but Peepers “has made it clear she wants to be a single mom,” the post said.
The fourth and final chick hatched at the zoo on Feb. 15, to parents Vortex and Wasabi.
King penguins, which can grow to be around 3 feet tall, are the second-largest penguin species in the world, according to the zoo’s website.
They are native to “the outlying areas of Antarctica,” and are known for their diving capabilities and ability to carry their eggs on their feet, the website said.
The only baby available for public viewing at the zoo is Gilbert and Dumpling’s chick, according to the post. The family is residing in a playpen in the zoo’s cold-weather habitat, which protects the chick while it grows its waterproof feathers.
