First look at baby Rockhopper penguin hatched at Moody Gardens
GALVESTON, Texas - GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — Moody Gardens in Texas has a new arrival thanks to parents Ozzie and Gaga swapping turns atop the egg.
The aquarium complex in Galveston on Monday unveiled a southern rockhopper penguin chick. It's the first time that a southern rockhopper has hatched at Moody Gardens.
Spokeswoman Courtney Carr said Tuesday that officials aren't sure if the chick is a he or a she, pending blood tests. Carr says the chick remains in the nest with its parents, but is on display in the penguin exhibit.
Penguin parents, Ozzie and Gaga will spend their time exchanging their parental roles caring for their new chick as they do in nature. Upon their arrival in 2003, biologists were brainstorming possible names for their penguin friends and they decided to have a little fun with it. Like their names, the Rockhopper penguins have all been named after famous rock stars, hence the names, Ozzie and Gaga.
Rockhopper penguins originate from various islands in the South Atlantic, which means these penguins experience a different season than us. While it may be winter in Texas, breeding season is just beginning for these birds. Once a mate is selected, the construction of the nest begins. During the gestation period the parents take turns sitting on the egg which lasts about 33 days.
Rockhoppers are broken down into two different subspecies, Northern and Southern. The difference between adults can easily be identified by the density of yellow feathers above their eyebrows. Northern Rockhoppers have a thicker array of feathers, while Southern have less.
The penguins reside in the Moody Gardens Aquarium Pyramid, the largest aquarium in Texas. With 1.5 million gallons of water, the building houses life from four distinct ocean environments and the collection in this popular pyramid includes seals, sea lions, sharks, thousands of fish, including more than 80 penguins.
The early arrival of the new chick comes after last week’s celebration of Wagner, the Chinstrap Penguin’s birthday. Wagner is now 32 years old and has been identified as the oldest Chinstrap penguin in North America. Moody Gardens is now the home to both the oldest and youngest penguins together in the same exhibit, until another chick hatches elsewhere.
The new rockhopper won't develop its signature yellow crest for months. It takes about a year for a penguin to begin to molt and develop its adult plumage.
A possible one or two additional Gentoo penguin chicks are expected by Christmas as Penguin Watch 2015 continues at the Aquarium Pyramid
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Online:
http://www.moodygardens.com/