(GRAND RAPIDS)-Congratulations to two proud pairs of penguin parents at the John Ball Zoo!
Officials from the Grand Rapids facility say three Magellanic Penguin chicks have been born in captivity and are “thriving.”
This is a significant achievement for conserving Magellanic Penguins, a threatened species indigenous to South America.
Rio (F) and Quffy (M) are the parents of one baby bird, while Hogan (M) and Qberta (F) increased their family by two.
In the past 24 years, 24 penguins have been born at John Ball, including all four parents.
The Zoo says the unnamed young are well cared for by mom and dad, and employees are hands-off, just observing for safety.
It will be some time before the public can see the babies as they need to mature before being released into their habitat.
Magellanic Penguins are part of the Species Survival Plan Program, a global zoo initiative to increase animal populations and promote genetic diversity for endangered animals.
(PHOTO COURTESY JOHN BALL ZOO OF PROUD PAPA “HOGAN” THE PENGUIN AND HIS CHICKS.)
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