Rockhopper Penguin Chick Hatches At Shedd Aquarium
By Samantha Abernethy in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 9, 2013 3:20PM
A rockhopper penguin chick hatched at the Shedd Aquarium last month, and the feathered fellow is on display, allowing visitors to see it grow and bond with its parents. Penguin parents share parenting responsibilities in equal shifts. They will teach the chick how to eat on its own before it swaps its down for waterproof plumage.
The chick weighed 75 grams at birth, and it gains about 40 grams per day. It currently weighs 1,019 grams. Zoo staff have not been able to identify the hatchling's gender yet because "there is no observable difference in male and female anatomy."