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Video: Meet The Shedd's Adorable 3-Month-Old Penguin

By Kate Shepherd in News on Sep 9, 2015 7:45PM

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Shedd Aquarium

The three-month-old rockhopper penguin chick hatched at the Shedd Aquarium on June 9 is a male, the Shedd Aquarium announced Wednesday.

The penguin (currently called Chick #23) is growing up quickly. When he was born, he could fit in the palm of Shedd staffers' hands. Now he already weighs 4.5 pounds and has nearly reached the full adult height of about 1.5 feet, Shedd reps say. He is exploring his habitat on his own, learning to swim by himself and accepting food from trainers.

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via The Shedd

He's not an adult yet though. It will be a year until his full adult plumage grows in, including the rockhopper penguin's distinctive yellow crest feathers. And he hasn't been named yet.

The chick is the 23rd rockhopper penguin (hence the name Chick #23) hatched at the Shedd since it established its breeding program in 1991.

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via The Shedd

The Shedd Aquarium shared this video of Chick #23 on YouTube Wednesday morning: