Critically endangered penguin chicks born at Michigan zoo - and there is a contest to name them
The facility announced the hatching Tuesday, although the male chicks were born in December.
'Born just before Christmas to first-time parents Blake and Melody, these two male chicks mark a major milestone for our penguin colony,' the zoo wrote.
While the brothers have been out and about for a few months, they have yet to be named.
After narrowing down their options, the zoo is asking its patrons to help them pick them. Choices include 'Damien' and 'Scramble,' 'Omelet' and 'Hamlet,' 'Eggs Benedict' and 'Quiche,' and 'Flip' and 'Flop.'
Voting for the names is open through March 20. The zoo does not open for the season until April 25, and the chicks will be introduced to the public later in the year.
Earlier this year, New Jersey's Adventure Aquarium announced the births of chicks Gabby and Shubert. They have also stayed behind the scenes and only recently went on their first swim.
Both announcements come as the species faces severe challenges in the wild, and conservationists worry about their future.
African penguins have declined by nearly 70 percent over the course of the last century mainly due to overfishing that impacts their food supply. Habitat destruction and climate change are also contributing factors.
Global warming leads to shifts in the marine and atmospheric environments that alter the availability of their preferred sardines and anchovies. Some may swim as far as 550 miles away to hunt, according to Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo.
Severe storms and coastal flooding can damage nesting sites, the International Fund for Animal Welfare says.
They are also affected by bird flu, which is continuing to spread rapidly around the world, including to other penguins.
There are just around 19,800 mature African penguins left in their geographic range along the coast of Africa, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and only 9,900 breeding pairs. Their numbers continue to decrease by 2 percent each year, the California Academy of Sciences says. The majority of the world's penguin species are currently considered vulnerable or endangered.
African penguins are relatively small compared to Emperor and King penguins. The birds have black beaks and faces and speckled white bellies. They grow to over 2 feet tall, and weigh up to 11 pounds, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.
They can live for up to 20 years, breeding on rocky ground and excavating nest burrows. They've been known to live longer in protected environments such as zoos.
'These chicks represent hope for the future of their species, and we are committed to their care and conservation,' the Saginaw Children's Zoo said.
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