Our youngest penguin chicks, Saba and Cornelius, participated in a special photo shoot yesterday with biologist (and photographer!) Jennifer Duffy.
The photos capture just how much the young chicks have grown over the last two months. Affectionately nicknamed “Corn Dog” and “Saba the Hut” by our Birds and Mammals team, the chicks each have VERY healthy appetites. Saba, born 54 days ago, weighs in at 2.8 kg – 6 pounds, the average size of an adult penguin!
Not to be outdone, 50-day old Cornelius is gaining on his sibling, currently weighing in at 2.4 kg, or 5.29 pounds. For both penguins, this is a very normal weight gain.
Besides growing by leaps and bounds, the pair has been doing exceedingly well in their training exercises; learning to socialize with juvenile penguins Pumpkin and Patch and even being introduced to some of the adult penguins.
And in exciting news for our guests, our Birds and Mammals team is also teaching Cornelius and Saba the art of up-close appearances; which means that they should soon be ready to make their official public debut. Stay tuned!