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From our scientist, Hiltrun Ratz, PhD
scientist@penguins.org.nz |
We put a trail camera onto this nest in December and that can catch some beautiful family interactions. The chicks are much more grown now and have lost a lot of their down.
This chick has a sibling - that was hiding in the long grass - and is being raised by Bruce and Chicky in Casa Lola. She is doing very well, has excellent weight and an interesting adolescent hair-do her parents probably don't approve of - it will be gone within a couple of weeks, no worries.
is also hiding. Both parents are at sea, he is under some bushes and peers suspiciously at the human passers-by. No worries, they are moving along!
They are among the oldest and are showing lots of blue now. They are already adult size and have adult size appetites, so both parents are out at sea fishing. Can you spot the second chick??
This is such a sweetheart - s/he had to come into rehab because Goldenstar and Honeydrop had never bred before and they were starting to struggle with a demanding chick. They have done such a fab job getting him to this size and now we are taking over. Golden Tainui has settled into rehab routine and is finding the salmon much to her/his liking.
is hiding. She found a spot where she is easily missed - if anyone was ever wondering why these penguin chicks are brown - well, here is your answer: camouflage!
These two chicks are raised by Lesley and her mate in Chris, Gen, Milly, Elsa Leech box - they are 78 days old now and fully grown. They will stay with their parents until they are about 106 days old and then they will fledge. For now they are concentrating on growing out the brown fluff and getting lots of rest before dinner is delivered.
This chick has obviously been wandering around in the rain or been messing around in the wet vegetation: its back is looking a little damp. It has started to grow the adult-like feathers though so soon it's not going to be possible to tell that they are wet.
It looks like these two chicks got a little wet and so they decided to squish into their nest box, Andy Cunningham's box. It's a bit tight though.....
These chicks were so hard to get a photo of early on and now they are sitting pretty out in the open ready for their photoshoot!!
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