New Humboldt penguin chick is thriving at Brookfield Zoo Chicago

CHICAGO -- A month-old Humboldt penguin hatchling is thriving under the care of its new foster parents and staff at Brookfield Zoo Chicago.

The chick hatched at Brookfield on May 28 and has been in the care of Divot and Rosie, the penguin's new foster parents. The pair was chosen based on their record of raising their own chicks in 2021 and 2022 and then fostering another pair's chick in 2023.

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In addition to the chick being fostered by Divot and Rosie, two other Humboldt penguins hatched at Brookfield on May 19 and Feb. 19. Though these chicks' parents are part of the penguin colony at Brookfield, foster parents were needed to increase their chances of successfully hatching. This makes the new hatchling the third addition to the colony.

The collaboration between Brookfield and Columbus zoos was made possible by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan. The plan focuses on enhancing the genetic diversity and sustainability of wildlife.

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"If one institution may not have a parent that has a lot of experience, another zoo can come and help them out. With the chick that we hatched from Columbus Zoo, it was in that scenario where they had a lot of chicks and the parents have had some challenges in the past," said Cody Hickman, associate director of avian conservation and care at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Brookfield "and other zoos stepped in and said, we'll take those eggs and hatch them with foster parents at our institutions."

In the wild, Humboldt penguin parents stay and care for their chicks until they are 70 to 90 days old. The adults then leave their chicks to fend for themselves.

To mimic this natural cycle, the hatchling is not only observed by its foster parents but by Brookfield's animal care team. It gives the team a good opportunity to watch the penguin and make sure it's getting adjusted well to its parents and surroundings and most importantly, with the zoo's care team before exhibition.

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"Raising a penguin chick is like a kid. You get super-excited about the most random things. During this time, we're watching for them to start venturing away from their nest box, getting ready to take their first swim, and getting a little braver," Hickman told Sun-Times.

Humboldt penguins are native to the coasts of Peru and Chile. They are classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Factors such as climate change and natural or human-caused disasters often threaten their existence.

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To help support the Humboldt penguins, fans can symbolically adopt foster dad Divot or one of the other penguins offered through the Zoo's Animal Adoption Program at BrookfieldZoo.org/AnimalAdoption.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire - Copyright Chicago Sun-Times 2024.)