Chick this out: 2 baby penguins born at Jacksonville Zoo

3 adult penguins also added to Tuxedo Coast exhibit

Courtesy of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two chicks and three adults have been added to the Magellanic penguin group at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, officials announced Monday.

The first of the two chicks hatched on July 30 to parents Troy and Victoria. The chick, whose gender is still unknown, is thriving in the care of its parents, also parents to Sharky, who hatched in June 2016.

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The second chick hatched on Aug. 7 and is being parent-raised by Austin and Lola.

Zoo officials said they are excited to see the parents excelling at rearing the chicks, after the last two chicks hatched at the zoo had to be hand-reared by keepers.

Zoo officials are hopeful for at least one more chick by the end of the season. Two eggs are being closely monitored for viability.

Three adult penguins from the San Francisco Zoo have also joined the rapidly growing penguin family.

Two males and a female went on exhibit for the first time Aug.24 and are thriving in their new environment.

The penguins came to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens on a breeding recommendation by the Magellanic penguin SSP, the species survival plan program that cooperatively manages and oversees the population and breeding of animal populations in AZA institutions.

Since their addition to the group, the penguins who had been spending time in the holding area of the Tuxedo Coast penguin exhibit to wrap up nesting season are now back out enjoying the big pool and viewable to the guests. The chicks will not go out on exhibit until they are around 3 months old.

Magellanic penguins are native to the southern coasts of Argentina and Chile. They are listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List with population decline resulting from overfishing of their hunting grounds and oil pollution.

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens supports penguin conservation efforts, contributing to organizations such as SANCCOB and AZA’s Invest in the Nest program.