Endangered African Penguin Hatches at Minnesota Zoo

An endangered African penguin chick hatched on November 21 at the Minnesota Zoo, the zoo said on Thursday, November 30. The chick, which hatched at 50.5 grams, is currently being cared for by its parents, Burner and Snickers, behind the scenes.The chick’s sex has yet to be determined and will likely remain behind the scenes for some time as it receives care from its parents and the zookeepers.The African penguin breeding season typically is October to March at the zoo, when the nest boxes are opened for the flock. Most pairs successfully lay one to two eggs during that time. The zoo has successfully hatched 21 African penguin chicks since opening the Penguins of the African Coast habitat in 2011.African penguins are currently listed as an endangered species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, the zoo said. The zoo participates in the Species Survival Plan, a breeding program at several US zoos to help maintain “the captive gene pool for the future aid of the wild population.” Credit: Facebook/Minnesota Zoo via Storyful