Get ready for adorable overload. The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium today announced two Gentoo penguin chicks hatched on Wednesday, June 10.
The first week is a critical time for the chicks. Gentoo penguins typically lay two eggs every year. In the wild, it is common for only one chick to survive for first time parents. To increase the chances of the chicks surviving, the Animal Husbandry team is caring for one of the chicks off exhibit, while the other is being cared for by its parents in the exhibit. The parents are named Sampson and Fria, and they are first time parents.
Aquarium visitors may find it hard to spot the new chicks for several weeks. But if you’re lucky, you may catch sight of them being fed. These are the first chicks for this group of penguins at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium. The penguin exhibit, sponsored by Mountain America Credit Union, first opened in March 2010 at the Aquarium’s previous location in Sandy.
Gentoo penguins are very nurturing. Both parents work to build the circular nest made of stones. Once the eggs are laid, the mother and the father take turns sitting on it for about a month. The chicks remain in the nest for up to a month after they’re born.
The Aquarium expects to welcome a few more chicks soon, as there are a few more eggs getting ready to hatch. For updates, follow The Living Planet Aquarium on Facebook. You can also watch a live stream of the penguins on the Aquarium’s Penguin Cam.
WOW! That was one of the best things I’ve watched in a video! 😀