COLUMBUS, Ohio — Just in time for World Penguin Day, an Ohio zoo has welcomed an adorable new chick.
According to WBNS-TV, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium took to social media last week to announce the birth of a baby Humboldt penguin, which hatched March 20.
“Since hatching, the penguin chick has been growing FAST!” the zoo wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday. “Due to the unique situation of bringing all of the birds in our care indoors during the presence of avian influenza, our animal care team is hand-raising the penguin chick and will slowly introduce it to the penguin colony.”
Baby alert! On March 20, 2022, our Shores & Aquarium region welcomed the newest addition to the Humboldt penguin family....
Posted by Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on Wednesday, April 20, 2022
The zoo said a blood sample collected from the unnamed chick earlier this month will allow staffers to determine whether the baby is male or female.
“Our animal nutrition specialists are providing the best fish-based formula for the penguin chick, who is now transitioning to a small fish diet. (The chick has excellent vocal abilities to let the keepers know when it is hungry!),” the zoo added. “The penguin chick is also developing strong muscles to sit up tall and walk around more. Send the penguin chick your warmest wishes, and stay tuned for future updates!”
The announcement came just days ahead of World Penguin Day, held annually on April 25. The Global Penguin Society previously described the occasion as “a date to raise awareness about the importance of protecting all penguin species in the world.”
Happy #WorldPenguinDay! A date to raise awareness about the importance of protecting all penguin species in the world. Download our famous poster Penguins of the World for free on our website: https://t.co/ns45swNtfr and join our global efforts to protect them. pic.twitter.com/1MY8tPsRa9
— GLOBAL PENGUIN SOCIETY (@PENGUINS_GPS) April 25, 2021
Several zoos, wildlife organizations, companies and animal lovers celebrated the “holiday” by sharing facts and photos of the aquatic birds with the hashtag #WorldPenguinDay. Here are some of those posts:
Do your bit for penguins this #WorldPenguinDay!🐧
— Oxford University Alumni (@oxfordalumni) April 25, 2022
Take a few minutes at lunchtime to help @UniofOxford researchers to understand how penguins are affected by fisheries and pollution.
Visit @PenguinWatch to see how many penguins you can spot! ➡️ https://t.co/lYu2oxswWs pic.twitter.com/vGt4EYtGUs
So what sound DOES a penguin make? 🐧💬
— LeapFrog (@LeapFrog) April 25, 2022
100 Animals Book has the answer.
Happy #WorldPenguinDay! We hope they have an'ice day.
(We know, we know. We shouldn't make Antarctic jokes, they can be... polarizing) pic.twitter.com/FRvStw63mv
Is there a cuter animal in this world than a penguin? In commemoration of #WorldPenguinDay, we’re proud to support the incredible work done by SANCCOB saves seabirds as they create safer spaces for these two-legged feathered friends. Read more here: https://t.co/J7uXYFFuMV pic.twitter.com/Uij7GYt0ug
— Ford South Africa (@FordSouthAfrica) April 25, 2022
It's that time of the year again.
— British Science Association (@BritSciAssoc) April 25, 2022
Happy #WorldPenguinDay🐧 all! https://t.co/6Jn7gGeJEc
On #WorldPenguinDay, meet penguin conservationist, Coline Marciau 👋
— WWF UK (@wwf_uk) April 25, 2022
Coline surveys 🐧 populations in the Antarctic Peninsula, to assess the environmental and human impacts on them. This vital work helps in understanding population dynamics and identifying areas for protection. pic.twitter.com/YN2HBD9a7g
Amusing footage captures the moment a pair of curious penguins discover a misplaced camera on the Antarctic ice. Happy #WorldPenguinDay! pic.twitter.com/gJLazYhkEy
— Nat Geo Adventure (@ngadventure) April 25, 2022
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