Two Rockhopper Penguin Chicks Hatch at Edinburgh Zoo

0:00Two tiny northern rockhopper penguin chicks just hatched at Edinburgh Zoo, weighing only 63 grams and 95 grams each, right before. World penguin day on Saturday. These little ones from parents, Bruce and Pinhead, plus Wesley and Penny, mark the start of an exciting chick season. Northern rockhoppers are endangered-crested penguins, famous for their spiky yellow and black eyebrow feathers. They hang out on remote rocky islands like Tristan Dekunia, Gough Island, Amsterdam, and St. Paul in the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Keepers are already fans of these hatchlings' big personalities. One's super vocal during checkups, the other loves snuggling under mom or dad. At this stage, they're about the size of a small kiwi fruit, making them extra adorable to the team. The zoo also houses King and Gentoo penguins, with Gentoo eggs brooding and first hatches do soon. This fits into a key breeding program to keep populations healthy and genetically diverse across zoos.

1:00Daily weigh-ins keep the chicks on track for their first 30 days. Quick lifts to the scale, less than 60 seconds to minimize stress. With more hatches expected any day, penguin seasons just heating up at Edinburgh Zoo. Edinburgh News Today, powered by AI bringing you what matters.