Adorable Gentoo Chicks Moody Gardens, Galveston Island [HD]
Say hello to the four new Gentoo penguin chicks at Moody Gardens, Galveston Island.
With Christmas right around the corner, Santa made an early stop at the Moody Gardens Aquarium Pyramid, bringing two new Gentoo Penguin chicks to the exhibit.
Just a week after two Gentoo Penguin chicks hatched, two more fuzzy birds made their debut in the South Atlantic exhibit. It is the second straight year that four Gentoos have hatched at Moody Gardens, marking another successful breeding season at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited facility.
"We're glad to see such a successful breeding season," said Moody Gardens Assistant Curator Diane Olsen. "The parents are doing a wonderful job, and we are just here to make sure everything is going smooth"
The Gentoo chicks are already in the midst of a major growth spurt, weighing 292 and 276 grams. Gentoos normally become full grown after just eight weeks.
Adult Gentoo Penguins have yellow feet, making them unique in the Moody Gardens exhibit. They also have distinct white patches above the eye and white speckling in the adjacent black plumage around their heads.
Gentoo Penguins are currently listed as "lower risk-near threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Because of their strong popularity, penguins play an influential role as ambassadors for wildlife conservation.
The small, fuzzy birds can be seen the South Atlantic exhibit with the other Moody Gardens penguins. The public can watch the penguins in the Aquarium Pyramid or on the Live Penguin Cam at www.moodygardens.com/penguincam2.html.