Penguin chick introduced at Sioux Falls Zoo
Penguin parents Pippa and Quince have raised three previous chicks — Paco, Rico, and Sammy Sammons — all of whom still live at the zoo.
The plan for the Sioux Falls Zoo & Aquarium
The chick hatched on March 30 and is growing well, thanks to the attentiveness of the parents. Though it still stays close to mom and dad, the chick is starting to be viewable in the Humboldt penguin habitat.
In their natural habitat, Humboldt penguins nest on the islands of the Pacific coast, and are native to South America. They are considered a threatened species.
The Great Plains Zoo campus is now open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the butterfly house and aquarium is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
How zoo animals are part of a literacy initiative
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Yahoo
Same-sex penguin couple raising rare chick at zoo
Scampi and Flounder, a pair of male Humboldt penguins, are stepping up to raise a chick at Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom. The chick is one of 10 born during what zoo team manager Zoe Sweetman described in a Thursday news release as a "bumper year for the penguins here." Humboldt penguins are one of the most at-risk of the world's 17 species of penguins and are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. There are now 63 penguins in the colony at the zoo. Penguin pair Wotsit and Peach laid two of the eggs that hatched this year, according to the zoo. Experts at the zoo shared the eggs between the nests of Wotsit and Peach and Scampi and Flounder. "The zoo's bird experts carefully shared the eggs between the two nests to help give both chicks the best possible start and help improve chances of successful fledging," the zoo wrote in the news release. Penguin eggs are incubated for around 40 days and, once an egg is produced, it takes about three days before the chick hatches. While a zoo spokesperson said Scampi and Flounder have never hatched and raised a chick before, same-sex penguin couples are not unheard of. In 2018, two male penguins at the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium in Australia hatched a chick, and then in 2020, a pair of female penguins at an aquarium in Spain welcomed a baby chick. In 2022, a male penguin couple at a zoo in New York state became parents. Penguin parents share feeding and parenting duties. Chester Zoo keepers provide fish, which the parents swallow and blend into a "protein-rich soup," which they regurgitate to feed the chicks, according to the zoo. Eight of the 10 penguins hatched at Chester Zoo this year have been named in the weeks since they hatched in April. "This year we've gone with a celestial theme for naming the chicks and we've had a lot of fun coming up with names inspired by stars, constellations and cosmic wonders," Sweetman said. The zoo is taking suggestions on social media before deciding on the names of two of the chicks, but has named the others: Ursa, Alcyone, Quasar, Orion, Dorado, Cassiopeia, Altair and Xena. Scampi and Flounder's chick will have its name picked on social media. The zoo has not specified if the chick is male or female. Since their births, the fluffy penguin chicks have nearly quadrupled in size, according to the zoo. "They're now days away from a really exciting milestone — their very first swimming lessons, which is always a thrill to witness as they dive into the pool for the very first time," Sweetman said. Humboldt penguins, native to South America, are vulnerable to climate change and habitat loss, according to the zoo. Population numbers have decreased by around 85% in the last 40 years. "The penguin colony at Chester Zoo plays a vital role in the international breeding program for the species, helping to maintain a genetically healthy population in conservation zoos across Europe," according to the zoo. Humboldt penguins are carnivores, eating small fish and crustaceans, according to the zoo. They spend up to 75% of their lives in water. They typically live 12 to 15 years, but can live up to 20 years in human care. Humboldt penguins typically weigh around 7 to 13 pounds, with their weight fluctuating based on food and whether or not they're molting. They grow to be about 2 feet tall. Penguin chicks at the zoo are weighed to monitor their development. Many penguins are monogamous, according to the zoo. What a new DOJ memo could mean for naturalized U.S. citizens July 4 holiday week expected to set record for travelers Group meets to handwrite the U.S. Constitution


CBS News
04-07-2025
- CBS News
Same-sex penguin couple raising rare chick at U.K. zoo
Scampi and Flounder, a pair of male Humboldt penguins, are stepping up to raise a chick at Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom. The chick is one of 10 born during what zoo team manager Zoe Sweetman described in a Thursday news release as a "bumper year for the penguins here." Humboldt penguins are one of the most at-risk of the world's 17 species of penguins and are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. There are now 63 penguins in the colony at the zoo. Penguin pair Wotsit and Peach laid two of the eggs that hatched this year, according to the zoo. Experts at the zoo shared the eggs between the nests of Wotsit and Peach and Scampi and Flounder. "The zoo's bird experts carefully shared the eggs between the two nests to help give both chicks the best possible start and help improve chances of successful fledging," the zoo wrote in the news release. Same-sex penguin couple Scampi and Flounder are raising a chick at the Chester Zoo. Chester Zoo Penguin eggs are incubated for around 40 days and, once an egg is produced, it takes about three days before the chick hatches. While a zoo spokesperson said Scampi and Flounder have never hatched and raised a chick before, same-sex penguin couples are not unheard of. In 2018, two male penguins at the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium in Australia hatched a chick, and then in 2020, a pair of female penguins at an aquarium in Spain welcomed a baby chick. In 2022, a male penguin couple at a zoo in New York state became parents. Penguin parents share feeding and parenting duties. Chester Zoo keepers provide fish, which the parents swallow and blend into a "protein-rich soup," which they regurgitate to feed the chicks, according to the zoo. Eight of the 10 penguins hatched at Chester Zoo this year have been named in the weeks since they hatched in April. "This year we've gone with a celestial theme for naming the chicks and we've had a lot of fun coming up with names inspired by stars, constellations and cosmic wonders," Sweetman said. Scampi and Flounder's chick Chester Zoo The zoo is taking suggestions on social media before deciding on the names of two of the chicks, but has named the others: Ursa, Alcyone, Quasar, Orion, Dorado, Cassiopeia, Altair and Xena. Scampi and Flounder's chick will have its name picked on social media. The zoo has not specified if the chick is male or female. Since their births, the fluffy penguin chicks have nearly quadrupled in size, according to the zoo. "They're now days away from a really exciting milestone — their very first swimming lessons, which is always a thrill to witness as they dive into the pool for the very first time," Sweetman said. Humboldt penguins, native to South America, are vulnerable to climate change and habitat loss, according to the zoo. Population numbers have decreased by around 85% in the last 40 years. "The penguin colony at Chester Zoo plays a vital role in the international breeding program for the species, helping to maintain a genetically healthy population in conservation zoos across Europe," according to the zoo. Humboldt penguins are carnivores, eating small fish and crustaceans, according to the zoo. They spend up to 75% of their lives in water. They typically live 12 to 15 years, but can live up to 20 years in human care. Many penguins are monogamous, according to the zoo.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Yahoo
Infamous New York City sidewalk aquarium is back but heat wave sparks concerns fish will boil
A viral community aquarium in a Brooklyn neighborhood that was paved over by city authorities, has been resurrected by residents – once again drawing criticism from animal rights activists, who say the fish will boil to death in the New York summer heat. Pictures shared online show a new glass tank containing around a dozen goldfish, which has been planted in a shallow pit next to the pond's original site, with the project's co-founder insisting the new attraction still has the backing of the community. However, the new tank, which was reportedly put up on Saturday, is now at the mercy of a summer heatwave in New York. The mercury is set to sit in the mid-to-high 90s this week and even rose to a scorching 100F (37.7C) on Tuesday. Gemma Vaughan, PETA's Captive Animal Case Specialist, told The Independent that the new lodgings for the tiny residents was a 'recipe for disaster.' 'Certainly the side of the street is, is no place right for for a tank using animals,' she said. 'They're at the mercy of anyone walking by.' Vaughan highlighted that the tank already appeared cramped and 'murky,' indicating the presence of bacteria, and the rising temperatures, both of which would be dangerous for the fish. 'One goldfish requires 25 gallons (of water) and then additional fish requires additional gallons, but they're required to stay between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. So being outside in these high temperatures is certainly contributing to some stress and possibly health risks,' she said. Last summer PETA described the project as 'inhumane' and called for the fish to be liberated. 'There are so many better ways to beautify your neighborhood that don't involve harming helpless animals,' Kristin Rickman, PETA's Emergency Response Team Director, said at the time. 'In this current heatwave they most certainly will die. It will be a painful death,' Kathy Nizzari, founder of the animal welfare group Lights Out Coalition, told The New York Post. The first iteration of the aquarium was shut down by the New York City Fire Department in October, leaving dozens of goldfish dead after the puddle was emptied. The hole was then paved over. However, the project's co-founder, Je-Quan Irving, said that the second iteration is up to code and that several city agencies had said the project would be allowed because it was no longer underground. He and other volunteers plan to continue maintaining the project despite the heat. 'I'm just happy they wanted us to keep pushing through and have it come back,' Irving told The Post. His co-founder, Hajj-Malik Lovick, has since been convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 12 years in prison in an unrelated case. Lovick previously told The Independent 'It's all for the kids. ... And it helps the parents too. If their mom says 'We're gonna go see the fish,' that's why they get up to go to school.' He reportedly used the Bed Stuy aquarium as a defense in his case, with his attorney telling the judge the project demonstrated that he was a caring father and community man.