Schönbrunn Zoo

Two king penguin chicks hatched

For the first time, two chicks have hatched at Schönbrunn Zoo.(Bild: Daniel Zupanc)

Schönbrunn Zoo can once again look forward to welcoming a new generation of animals. This time, for the first time since 1976, two king penguin chicks have hatched. Visitors can now visit the two balls of feathers.

"King penguins are still rarely bred in zoos. We have successfully bred the second largest penguin species many times, but until now there has only ever been one chick. The fact that there are two this year is a huge success," says zoo director Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck.

Great breeding success
For many years, the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) has been trying to achieve a balanced gender ratio in the king penguins and to put together a homogeneous colony. This time, the joy is twice as great now that it has finally been achieved and two chicks have seen the light of day.

Already hatched in summer
The two chicks hatched on July 23 and August 5, but they were not easy to see at first. "King penguins don't build nests, they carry the egg under a fold in their belly on their feet and hatch it that way. After hatching, the chicks are kept warm and well protected. During this time, they only occasionally peek out from between their parents' feet," says Folko Balfanz, head of the zoology department.

For the first time, two chicks have hatched at Schönbrunn Zoo.(Bild: Daniel Zupanc)

First attempts at swimming
In the meantime, the chicks have grown considerably - thanks to the caring care of their parents, who take turns feeding them pre-digested fish. They lose their dense dark coat with their first moult at around ten months of age. They then acquire water-repellent plumage and can also make their first attempts at swimming.