Oregon Zoo penguin chick takes first swim
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Oregon Zoo’s newest Humboldt penguin chick is learning to spread her flippers and hit the pool.
Ópalo, who hatched in late March, has spent the past month and a half in her nest, growing feathers and preparing for this very moment, according to Travis Koons, who oversees the zoo’s penguin area.
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“She couldn’t wait to get in the water,” he said. “Before long she’ll be much faster in the water than she is on land.”
The zoo adds that, although Ópalo is nearly as tall as her parents, she is still easy to spot. Mostly due to her gray plumage which is distinctive to young Humboldts.
Furthermore, Ópalo’s name – which is Spanish for “opal”- was inspired by the national stone of Peru, whose coast the Humboldt penguin calls home.
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However, Humboldts are considered the most at risk of all 17 penguin species, currently labeled as “vulnerable”, with an estimated population of 32,000 adult birds and declining.
The Oregon Zoo has been breeding Humboldt penguins since the 1980s to combat their population decline and Ópalo is the 194th Humboldt to hatch at the zoo.
The zoo is currently home to 20 Humboldt penguins, with two more eggs incubating.
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