The Toronto Zoo has announced the successful hatching of four African penguin chicks.
After an extensive process that included two pairs of penguins recommended by the Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding two eggs each, and with the help of a few surrogate parents, four penguins were hatched between Feb 12. and March 4, according to a statement released by the zoo.
Three of the four penguins are female, which is good news for the predominately male North American zoo population. Of the 18 penguin species in the world, the African penguin is one of the most endangered.
“The current population size in the wild for the African penguin is less than half of what it was 40 years ago, which equals only about three generations for penguins,” the Toronto Zoo said in its statement. “Factors still affecting their decline include lack of food (due to climate change and over-fishing), disease, predation, and pollution (mainly oil spills). Today, there are fewer than 20,000 breeding pairs left in South Africa.”
One hundred per cent of this season’s breeding and pairing goals set by the SSP have been reached.
READ MORE: Toronto Zoo bids farewell to Juno the polar bear
Zookeepers are currently teaching the chicks to be hand-fed fish and get on a scale for daily weigh-ins. Keepers also gave the group their first swimming lesson.
The zoo says its hope is to have the four ready to join the rest of the colony when they are around 80 days old.
The yet-to-be-named chicks will be available to be seen daily in their indoor viewing area from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. beginning April 14.
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