Humboldt penguin chicks born at Moscow Zoo

Humboldt penguins have new chicks at the Moscow Zoo. This was announced on April 5 by Svetlana Akulova, Director General of the zoo.

"At the moment, six penguins are known to have appeared in three families. However, the number of chicks may increase, as some couples are still waiting for offspring," Akulova said in the MAX messenger.

The chicks began to be born in early January with an interval of several days. Now the oldest of them is about three months old, the youngest is about two. This year, the birds have new pairs — these are grown-up chicks bred at the zoo a few years ago.

In autumn, in November, penguins move from the outdoor aviary to the pavilion "Bird House", where they build nests in the warmth. After 38-40 days, the chicks hatch from the eggs. For the first couple of months, babies sit in burrows with their parents, who take care of the offspring and take turns feeding. At about the age of two months, the penguins begin to molt, and after changing their plumage, they learn to swim.

"The process of raising penguin offspring is incredibly touching. Parents stand guard over their burrows, carefully guarding the entrance from strangers. Penguins are peaceful animals, but they can be very determined in protecting their family. About 12 hours after the chicks are born, the parents feed them from the beak, warm them and do not leave them for a minute. Then, when the kids learn to swim, mom or dad are always on duty nearby for safety," Akulova noted.

The oldest penguins already know how to enter the water, swim, get out of the pool and find the entrance to their burrow. They distinguish the voices of their parents and respond to the call. At the age of about two months, when the wings of babies stop growing, they are given wing tags — plastic ties of a certain color to quickly identify members of the same family. Later, the grown-up penguins will have electronic chips.

Zoo staff know and distinguish all penguins by their individual belly patterns. In the first months, zoologists do not interfere in the parenting process. However, in the summer, when the adult molting season begins and the appetite decreases, the chicks begin to be accustomed to feeding whole fish with their hands. At about nine months of age, the cubs switch to a full-fledged diet of fish and become more autonomous, but they live in the same enclosure with their parents.

On April 2, capybaras and lowland gorillas began to go out for street walks at the Moscow Zoo. It was noted that the male Vizuri was the first of the gorillas to bypass the territory, followed by the rest of the group. Svetlana Akulova, director of the zoo, said that capybaras originate from South America and are very fond of warmth, so their going outside has become a symbol of the beginning of a real spring. For two animals, Simka and Verty, who were born in autumn, this spring was the first in their lives.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.