SAN DIEGO, CA — SeaWorld San Diego recently welcomed an Emperor penguin chick for the first time in more than a decade, the theme park announced Wednesday.
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The female chick was born Sept. 12 at the San Diego theme park. The chick was the first Emperor penguin chick to hatch at SeaWorld San Diego since 2010, park officials said.
“Bringing this chick into the world and ensuring her well-being and survival around the clock has been a very rewarding process for me and the entire SeaWorld aviculture team,” said Justin Brackett, curator of birds at SeaWorld San Diego.
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“Every decision regarding her well-being was made with the upmost care and consideration by our expert team and veterinary staff,” Brackett said. “We are looking forward to learning more about her and watching her unique personality develop as she continues to grow.”
Emperor penguins, a flightless seabird endemic to Antarctica, are currently listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act due to the loss of Antarctic sea ice and rising sea levels caused by climate change.
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SeaWorld San Diego is the only SeaWorld location, aquarium and zoo in the Western Hemisphere where people can see Emperor penguins, according to the theme park.
The theme park’s Penguin Encounter is home to a colony of 17 Emperor penguins, as well as 300 other penguins including King, Gentoo, Macaroni, Chinstrap and Adélie penguins. The exhibit is a 25-degree, snow-filled habitat where penguins can swim and interact within the colony. A colony of warm-weather Magellanic penguins, native to South America, live in a habitat outside the Penguin Encounter. Penguin Encounter is also home to nearly 90 puffins and murres.
Annual pass holders got an exclusive first look at the new chick during a private pass member event Tuesday. She is not yet visible to the public, SeaWorld San Diego spokesperson Tracy Spahr told Patch. As she continues to grow and gain weight, she will eventually be introduced to visitors through either Penguin Encounter experiences or she will be in the exhibit within the next few weeks.
SeaWorld San Diego fans can help name the chick by participating in a survey through Oct. 31 via email and Instagram. The theme park’s aviculture team narrowed the list of names to three choices: Astrid, Pandora and Pearl.
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