CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The Shedd Aquarium’s new rockhopper penguin, which hatched in June, made a splash with the rest of the penguin colony.
After ditching its fluffy feathers for sleek, waterproofed ones, the aquarium’s rockhopper penguin chick took some prep swims behind-the-scenes — and has now taken its first swim with other rockhopper penguins, in public, in the Polar Play Zone.
The Shedd said the penguin chick is growing. It’s now almost 1.5 feet tall and weighs a little over 4 pounds, which means the chick is already very close in appearance to the adult rockhopper penguins.
For those who plan to visit the Shedd, an easy way to distinguish the chick is by looking for the lack of any distinctive, yellow feathers. Those feathers will only grow in after the chick is about one year old.
Officials said the Shedd hasn't yet determined the gender of the chick. When it does, the aquarium will be announcing any potential naming plans for it.
The chick comes from a fairly well-known penguin family. Its parents Edward and Annie rose to stardom following some penguin field trip viral videos and were the subject of their own children’s book. The chick’s grandfather is Wellington, who became a star on videos showing him roaming the empty halls of the close aquarium during the pandemic.
Here's one more photo:
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