Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna can look forward to a sweet king penguin chick for the second time this year. A healthy and alert young animal hatched at the end of July.
However, the gender has not yet been determined. Until now, the chick has been a bit reserved and likes to hide between the protective parents. But even observant visitors can get their hands on a rare sight in the polarium. “The penguin chick can’t swim yet. King penguins don’t get a water-repellent plumage until they’re about 10 months old. Until then, they wear a warm, brown down coat,” reports zookeeper Bettina Schragner.
Second largest penguin species
King penguins are the second largest penguin species after the emperor penguins and are about 95 cm long. The king penguin’s parents do not build typical nests. The females lay only one egg, which the parents alternately carry on their legs and incubate standing in a special belly fold.
“Raising king penguins in human care is still difficult and rare. We are therefore very pleased that this special species has once again been successfully bred at Schönbrunn Zoo,” says zoo director Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck.
Source: Krone
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