Shedd Aquarium welcomed a pair of Magellanic penguin chicks born four days apart in the last week.
From the same parents, Chick 420 hatched May 17 to Chile and JR. After 420’s arrival, the second egg from the same pair was moved to foster parents and Chick 421 arrived May 20. Howard and Georgia, who took turns incubating the second egg, will raise No. 421 as their own.
“Having a chick successfully hatch from its egg is just the first of many milestones that we look for in these first few weeks, but our team is cautiously optimistic,” said Lana Gonzalez, manager of penguins and sea otters, in a release. “We’ll continue to monitor both chicks closely over the next few weeks, looking for consistent weight gain and to see how the parents are doing with sharing their responsibilities.”
Using cameras and sensors, Shedd’s animal care staff will monitor the new babies. They’ll step in only when necessary and occasionally for weight checks.
The two are the second and third Magellanic penguin chicks born at Shedd, as the first, Nia, who celebrated her first birthday earlier in May.
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