Here’s the daily splash of dopamine that you didn’t know you needed: pictures of a newly-hatched baby penguin. Don’t worry, you can thank us later.
If you take a stroll along the South Bank and listen carefully enough, you just might hear the pitter-patter of tiny penguin feet as SEA LIFE London Aquarium has welcomed the latest (and fluffiest) addition to their penguin community. Cracking news, right?
Following another successful breeding season, the aquarium has announced the arrival of a baby Gentoo penguin that was hatched on June 9 – now, isn’t that egg-citing?
What’s more exciting is that we have the photos and they are flippin’ adorable.
Weighing in at just under two kilos, the pint-sized penguin won’t be named until later in the year, once its gender has been determined but will be waddling its way around the attraction’s Penguin Point from today (July 10).
Born under the watchful eyes of its proud parents, Juno and Fry (let’s just take a quick moment for how cute these names are), SEA LIFE’s newest resident is settling in well and being closely monitored by the animal care team to ensure peak penguin performance.
Gentoo penguins are great ambassadors for all wildlife found on the Antarctic Peninsula, a location which is under great threat from climate change, microplastic pollution and the negative effects of human activity.
Catherine Pritchard, general manager of the aquarium, said: “the continued success of our Gentoo breeding programme here at SEA LIFE London Aquarium is down to the fantastic work of our expert animal care team and we look forward to our guests witnessing first-hand the adorable wobbles, playful splashes and hear the heart-melting chirps as the new chick begins its journey in our penguin colony.”
The fluffy bundle of joy has timed its arrival pretty perfectly for those of you planning a trip to the aquarium this summer.
Now, don’t mind me whilst I spend the rest of the day (or week) gazing at pictures of cute baby penguins.
Plan your visit to see the penguins (and all the other amazing sea life) here.
Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7PB