Sometimes, a little extra care makes all the difference. That’s exactly what’s happening for five baby Humboldt penguins at ZSL London Zoo, where zookeepers have stepped in to help them thrive.
The newest residents of the zoo’s Penguin Beach needed some support after their first-time parents struggled with caregiving. To ensure their well-being, the keepers took on the role of surrogate parents, hand-rearing the tiny penguins in the zoo’s nursery.
“During the breeding season, we check the nests on Penguin Beach every day, keeping an eye out for any chicks who might not be feeding enough or whose parents are struggling to care for their brood,” explained ZSL London Zoo penguin keeper Suzi Hyde.
“These five chicks all had first-time parents who needed a little bit of extra support, so we were happy to swoop in—with a little help from a few soft toy penguins, donated by the zoo shop, for them to snuggle up to.”
Since baby penguins rely on their parents for warmth and security, the plush penguin surrogates provide much-needed comfort. Meanwhile, the zookeepers handle feeding duties, serving up a special “penguin milkshake”—a nutritious blend of fish, minerals, and vitamins that mimics what their parents would regurgitate for them.
Born between April 14 and 24, the chicks are currently living under warming lamps with their stuffed stand-ins. Daily weigh-ins show they’re growing stronger, with each chick increasing in weight by about 10% per day.
“They're always eager for their next meal and make sure we know it’s feeding time—at just a month old, they’ve already perfected their squawk!” Hyde shared.
In honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, the chicks have been given names inspired by milestones from her 70-year reign. There’s Hillary (for Sir Edmund Hillary’s Everest climb), Bobby (for soccer star Bobby Moore’s 1966 World Cup win), Apollo (after the 1969 moon landing), Mac (for Ellen MacArthur’s record-setting solo sail in 2006), and Bernie (a nod to internet pioneer Tim Berners-Lee).
For now, the chicks are covered in soft gray feathers that aren’t waterproof, so swimming isn’t an option just yet. But in a few weeks, when they’re around 10 weeks old, they’ll start swimming lessons in the zoo’s nursery pool. Once they develop their waterproof feathers, they’ll join the 62 adult Humboldt penguins at Penguin Beach.
Until then, they’re enjoying the VIP treatment—with their plush companions by their side.