‘Time to Vote’…Help Name These Penguin Chicks
Posted by Andrew Bleiman on
Monterey Bay Aquarium needs your help selecting names for two of their Penguin chicks! They are hosting a poll where fans and supporters can choose their favorite name, for each chick, from a pre-determined list found at this link: https://www.tfaforms.com/4663108
The soon-to-be-named fuzzy ones are both African Penguins. The male chick hatched on January 19 and is being raised by Pringle and Messina. The female also hatched on January 19 and is being raised by Walvis and Boulders. These are the ninth and 10th chicks to hatch at the aquarium.
Photo Credits: Monterey Bay Aquarium
Both chicks are currently behind the scenes for their safety. In a few months, they’ll return to the Aquarium’s Penguin colony in ‘Splash Zone’.
The African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is a species confined to southern African waters. Like all extant penguins, it is flightless, with a streamlined body, and wings stiffened and flattened into flippers for a marine habitat. Adults weigh on average of 5 to 8 pounds and are about 24–28 inches tall.
The species is a pursuit diver and prefers to feed on fish and squid. Once numerous, the species is declining in the wild due to a combination of threats and is currently classified as “Endangered” by the IUCN.
The African Penguin is featured in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ new SAFE program: Saving Animals from Extinction. AZA SAFE is a collaborative campaign among more than 230 accredited members of AZA to combine resources and expertise to save animals from extinction.
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