Penguins are cute. Baby penguins are even cuter. SeaWorld Orlando just welcomed a batch of eight baby penguins to it’s Antarctica habitat in the last ten days. No matter when you see them, penguins are always cute, but something about the holidays make it even more special to see the penguin chicks. As soon as the chicks were hatched, they were joined by their parents. It’s one of the many ways that Antarctica at SeaWorld is as close to the real thing as many can get.
At SeaWorld, rocks were put out for the penguin mating season which begins in October, and lasts all the way until January. The chicks hatched this season at SeaWorld include two gentoo, four Adelie, and two rockhopper, and they ranged in weight from two to four ounces. In total there are 17 species of penguin in the world, and of those 17 there are four at SeaWorld.
The penguins will remain with their parents, and be raised by them, only being interrupted occasionally by the SeaWorld veterinary staff for routine check ups and weigh ins.
Video-Prepare for cuteness overload at SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando has one of the coolest attractions in the world, with Antarctica. The attraction is kept ata chilly 32 degrees year round, and is the perfect place for their colony of penguins to call home. The attraction does its’ best to follow the actual light pattern that would happen in the wild, where the penguins call home. All of SeaWorld Orlando’s penguins were born at SeaWorld parks, and other zoos around the world.
Want to know more about penguin chicks?
- Chicks first “pip” by poking a small hole in the egg. They then chip at the shell until they can push off the top. Chicks take up to three days to chip their way out.
- Fine down feathers cover most newly hatched chicks. (King penguin chicks hatch naked and grow down feathers within a few weeks.)
- In all species, the coloration and markings of chicks separate them from adults. Scientists believe that the chicks’ coloration elicits parental behavior from the adults, and that adult penguins do not perceive the young birds as competitors for mates or nesting sites.
- Even though you might expect to see penguin chicks with Santa, he lives in the North Pole. Most penguins are native to Antarctica at the other end of the planet.
Stay tuned for more from SeaWorld, and be sure to get social with us on Facebook, and follow along with us on Twitter @BehindThrills for the latest updates!
