Tag Archives: penguin

Giving Thanks for a Baby Penguin

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Today the Culture VULTURE may be eating a turkey — but the entry is on another kind of bird.

Just in time for the holidays, the Little Rock Zoo is proud to announce the hatching of its first penguin chick on October 30, 2012. 
Penguin parents Skipper and Easy are taking good care of the chick, according to Zoo staff, who says both parents are helping to keep the chick warm and feed it regurgitated fish.
The chick will be off exhibit until it is weaned when it is around 70 days old or if the parents allow it to wonder out of the nest box.
Zoo staff say the chick is growing fast and is of normal weight for its age.  On the second day after the chick hatched it weighed in at only 54 grams.  As of yesterday, only three weeks later, the chick now weighs 943 grams.  The chick will continue to gain weight until it is full grown at around 3.4 kilograms.
The chick is healthy and eating well according to Zoo staff who regularly monitor the chick and its parents.
The sex of the chick has yet to be determined and the chick has yet to be named.
The hatching of this chick was at the recommendation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) for the African penguin to ensure the long-term survival of endangered and threatened animals.
           
The Little Rock Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you and a better future for all living things.  With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. 

2011 a Record Year for Zoo Attendance

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Over 300,000 people visited the LR Zoo in 2011, which was the highest attendance in over ten years.  Daily attendance was 286,815, which was a 16.7% increase over 2010.  When special events were factored in, the attendance figures rose to 307,437.

According to Zoo director Mike Blakely, “There’s no doubt that the public is very excited about the new penguin exhibit and that more people are returning to the Zoo to see the penguins,” he said. “The Zoo also features more daily activities and events such as the Wild Wonders Animal Show and animal encounters that give guests an up-close-and-personal learning experience with animals.”