SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium Welcomes Gentoo Penguin Chicks

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: November 22, 2020 11:27 pm

penguins chicks sea life sydney aquarium

A gentoo penguin chick with its mother

Photo Credit: SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

The latest clutch of gentoo penguins have hatched at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium in Sydney Australia. A number of adorable chicks have been hatched in the aquarium’s sub-Antarctic zone over the last few months.

Currently the eldest chick hatched in mid-October while the youngest is just two weeks old.

A gentoo penguin chick during a health check with its keeper

Photo Credit: SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

At present the chicks can be seen cuddling up to their parents. They receive a daily weigh-in and monitoring from their keepers. Their carers say the chicks are healthy and growing rapidly.

“We are beyond excited to welcome the new penguin chicks to our colony. They are doing really well and gaining weight. They started at around 95grams, now our oldest is almost 2kg and the youngest is sitting at around 399grams,” said Kerrie Dixon, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium Penguin Supervisor.

A gentoo penguin chick during a health check with its keeper

Photo Credit: SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

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Two of the aquarium’s most popular penguins have become parents again. Sphen and Magic are a gay penguin pair which is not uncommon in penguin society. In 2018 the pair made history when they hatched and raise their first chick – a female named Lara.

They were successful parents with Lara having gone on to build her own nest and incubate eggs this breeding season.