Calgary Zoo welcomed their newest family member on June 26, 2015 in the form of a Humboldt penguin chick.
This is the first Humboldt penguin to have been born at the zoo. It is also the first time parents Reina and Javier have bred. Luckily both are proving to be great parents caring for the male chick and helping him to thrive.
“This hatch is a significant boost for our captive Humboldt population,” says Dr. Malu Celli, Curator, Calgary Zoo. “When these kinds of births occur it assures us we are getting one step closer to helping save important species.”
Humboldt penguins are named for a current which runs down the West coast of South America where they live. Here the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the species as vulnerable.
Calgary Zoo breeds penguins as part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP). This program aims to ensure that there is enough genetic diversity in captivity to stop it going from extinct.
Photo Credit: Calgary Zoo
