Recently, there was a heartwarming event that captivated animal enthusiasts and conservationists alike. For the first time in nearly 13 years, an emperor penguin chick successfully hatched at SeaWorld San Diego, marking a momentous occasion for this threatened species.
The little penguin's journey into the world was not without challenges, but thanks to the dedicated efforts of SeaWorld's expert team, the little one is now thriving and awaiting a name chosen by the public.
The Hatching Process Faced Some Difficulties Due To The Chick’s Beak Malformation
On Wednesday, September, 12, SeaWorld San Diego shared a video that documents the “exciting AND adorable” moments of the chick's emergence from its egg.
“As the only zoo in the Western Hemisphere where emperor penguins can be found, we are excited to share and celebrate this rare and precious emperor penguin chick!” The post said.
Unfortunately, the chick encountered difficulties due to a beak malformation, which made it hard for it to break the eggshell on its own.
Source: SeaWorld San Diego
Justin Brackett, Curator of Birds at SeaWorld, shared insights on the situation, emphasizing, “Normally the chick would start to break through the shell on its own.” However, in this case, intervention was necessary.
“For our chick, it broke through the initial membrane, but was never able to get through the shell.”
Brackett and his team at SeaWorld watched over the hatching process for several days before deciding to step in.
“We decided we needed to go in and start helping," he said. "That entire process takes almost three days. At the end of that three-day period, we were able to successfully hatch the chick.”
The Newborn Emperor Penguin Is Doing Well
Source: SeaWorld San Diego
Emperor penguin eggs typically take between 65 and 72 days to hatch. While it's common for penguin parents to incubate their eggs, this chick's parents didn't do that. Instead, SeaWorld's specialized team made sure the egg stayed warm until the baby penguin came out.
Now, the newborn emperor penguin is thriving. She's eating fish and "fish milkshakes" and growing well.
In fact, she's gaining 5 to 10% of her body weight every day, which shows how well SeaWorld is taking care of her.
“Bringing this chick into the world and ensuring her well-being and survival around the clock has been a very rewarding process,” Brackett shared.
The Naming Contest
Source: SeaWorld San Diego
Curious about her name? Actually, this baby newborn penguin hasn’t had a name yet. However, if you love her, you can actually help them choose her name. SeaWorld is having a naming contest, and everyone can pick a name for three options: Pearl, Pandora, and Astrid. So join the name game to choose a meaningful and adorable name for her.
The naming contest is being conducted through an online poll, which remains until 11:59 p.m. PST on Tuesday, October 31. The winning name will be officially revealed on Wednesday.
Why Are Emperor Penguins Threatened?
Source: SeaWorld San Diego
Emperor penguins are the biggest and heaviest penguins of all living penguin species, but they are in danger due to several environmental challenges.
They are dependent on Antarctic sea ice for breeding and raising their babies. However, this sea ice is dwindling due to climate change, causing rising sea levels. As a result, emperor penguins have been listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
This status was granted in October 2022 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, acknowledging the profound impact of these environmental changes on the penguin's sea-ice habitat.
Emperor penguins come from Antarctica and have incredible adaptability to their tough environment. They are brilliant swimmers, great at moving through icy waters. If they can't find enough sea ice for their babies, they can even climb steep cliffs and cross ice shelves to breed. Their diet consists primarily of Antarctic silverfish, along with other fish species, krill, and some squid.