Byculla Zoo welcomes new pair of happy feet

Molt, the father, in the nesting area

After nearly a month of waiting to hear the pitter patter of tiny feet, the colony of seven Humboldt penguins at Byculla zoo welcomed their newest member on Wednesday evening. The chick, which hatched from its egg at 8.02 pm at Veermata Jijabai Bhosle Udyan and Zoological park, is being touted as the first baby penguin to be born in India.

Rare birth
Since the egg was laid on July 5, veterinarians have been monitoring the proud parents - three-year-old Molt and his female partner 4.5-year-old Flipper. Zoo director Sanjay Tripathi was ecstatic about the newest addition. "It's a wonder, since Humboldt penguins across the world generally breed only after they're over 4.5 years old. This is a rare case, since they're still so young," he said.

The chick hatched from the eggs at 8:02 pm on Wednesday

The chick finally hatched after 40 days of incubation, weighing just 75 g. Dr Madhumita Kale, who is heading the team of veterinarians, said they expect the chick's weight to double in a week's time, and they will record its weight daily.

Young and delicate
Meanwhile, the chick cannot be named, since its gender will remain a mystery for a couple of weeks. "We can determine the sex after a DNA test is conducted. Once the condition of the chick is stable, we'll collect a feather for the test," said Dr Kale.

The public will have to wait for a few months before they can catch a glimpse of the tiny penguin. Unwilling to take any risk, the zoo officials have decided to keep the parents and the nestling away from the other five penguins in the enclosure as well. "Since the chick is too young, the other penguins will get inquisitive and may harm him. We have thus barricaded the area around the nest with wooden sheets, and will keep the chick away from the others for three to four months," said an official.

While the veterinarians are keeping their distance from Molt and Flipper, they are taking certain measures to make the chick a little more comfortable. Zoo officials said they have marginally increased the temperature to ensure that it's not too cold for the fledgling, and are planning to refresh the nesting material - sand, bamboo twigs and pebbles - from time to time, to maintain hygienic conditions.

It'll be a year before the little penguin sheds its grey feathers and grows a shiny black coat. The veterinarians are expecting the chick to start swimming in the next three months. "We have a shallower pool in a room next to the enclosure. We will first let the chick get used to that and then introduce it to the pool in the enclosure," said the zoo official.

More penguins on the way
Seven Humboldt penguins had arrived at Byculla zoo from South Korea in July 2016. Shortly after, a one-and-a-half-year-old female penguin, Dory, died of a bacterial infection. Humboldt penguins have a life expectancy of 20-25 years.

Two pairs of penguins started mating last year, but only Flipper laid an egg. Apart from Molt and Flipper, all but one of the penguins have paired up: Donald with Daisy, and Popeye with Olive. Only three-year-old Bubbles is left without a mate. After Dory's death, the BMC demanded that the contractors compensate for the loss with a female penguin.

However, a few months ago, the zoo authorities wrote to the contractors to provide two males and a female. They will soon approach the Central Zoo Authority for further approval.

Parents unsure how to feed the chick
Just hours after it hatched out, the chick hadn't even opened its eyes yet, but first-time parents Molt and Flipper were eager to feed it. They, however, are still trying to figure out how to go about it. "Penguin chicks eat fish regurgitated by their parents. But Flipper tried to feed the chick a whole fish. They'll figure it out after a few tries," said a zoo official.

The veterinarians have increased the quantity of food being given to the parents and have added vitamin supplements to their diet as well.

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