A New Beak to Peek in Penguin Plunge

There’s a new beak on the beach! We are excited to announce that a new Humboldt penguin chick has hatched!

On June 5th, first-time penguin parents ‘Inca’ and ‘Enrique’ welcomed a chick and the family has been bonding in a constructed burrow on the beach of Penguin Plunge. Humboldt penguin chicks will spend the first several months in their burrows after hatching, so our newest addition will likely stay inside the burrow until early August when it goes to meet the rest of the colony. While you may not see the chick for a while, you may hear it – it is showing off its strong lungs by calling out early in the day!

While its sex has not yet been confirmed, our Animal Care, Health & Welfare team has been closely monitoring the chick and it has aced its initial health check with an impressive weight of 855 grams. Our Humboldt penguins are part of a Species Survival Plan (SSP) that will help to ensure the genetic diversity of their species. Inca and Enrique both hatched at the zoo in 2017 as part of the SSP and we are thrilled to see these longtime partners welcome their first successful chick and contribute to the future of their species for generations to come.

Humboldt penguin chick