2 endangered African penguin chicks hatch at National Aviary
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Two endangered African penguin chicks hatched at the National Aviary.
The aviary says the birth of the two chicks sparks hope for a species that's expected to become functionally extinct in the wilds of Southern Africa by 2035.
The first chick hatched on Nov. 5 and its sibling hatched on Nov. 9. They're growing up fast -- both babies have more than tripled their birth weights already.
The eggs were laid and incubated by Patrick and her mate Owen, who the aviary says are "an excellent match genetically."
"The National Aviary remains a leader in African Penguin conservation, and we are beyond excited on what the addition of these two new chicks could mean for the species," said Chris Gaus, the assistant manager of animal care at the National Aviary.
"Patrick and Owen are making their first parent rear attempt and are dedicated penguin parents, and we're confident they will take excellent care of these two new chicks. We are already observing feeding, brooding, and preening behaviors, and can see that the chicks are growing and developing well in their care."
African penguins at the aviary are part of a Species Survival Plan that tries to tackle the conservation challenges the species faces, from human-caused pressures like the overharvesting of fish and disasters like oil spills. Less than 3% of the historic population of African penguins exists, and it's estimated only about 9,000 pairs are remaining in South Africa.
African penguins are monomorphic, meaning males and females look similar. The aviary will do a DNA feather test on both chicks to determine their sex once they reach adult size. The pair will eventually join their sibling Pierogi, who hatched last fall, in the Penguin Point habitat.
