Chicago's Shedd Aquarium welcomes rockhopper penguin chicks
CHICAGO (CBS) — Chicago's Shedd Aquarium welcomed two adorable penguin chicks, and visitors are getting a sneak peek at the adorable additions.
The rockhopper penguin chicks are near their parents in nests. According to the aquarium, guests may be able to see them at the Shedd's Polar Play Zone.
They hatched days apart on June 18 and June 20; each baby penguin weighs about three pounds.
The aquarium said they're being weighed daily "to ensure they are growing appropriately before being returned to their parents. Regular feedings from their parents will help the chicks rapidly grow to nearly full size in the next three months."
Bosco and Tussock are raising one penguin—a little penguin for the first time—and Edward and Annie are raising the second chick. They are familiar to Shedd fans who saw them in viral videos of their field trips during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, and they even have their own children's book.
The Shedd Aquarium's animal care team is giving the parents of each chick extra food "to keep their energy levels high and ensure they have plenty of food to provide their chicks, which they feed through regurgitation."
According to the aquarium, the chicks' next notable milestone will include socialization with staff, who will also feed them. Socialization with animal care staff will increase, and they will occasionally feed the chicks small fish filets.
The Shedd Aquarium exhibits two species of penguins: rockhopper and Magellanic penguins. The aquarium's first rockhopper chick, Isla, arrived in 2023.