Two baby gentoo penguins hatched at Bird Paradise

Park, home to over 30 penguins, welcomes rescued northern rockhopper penguin too

- Vihanya Rakshika

Christmas has come early for the Bird Paradise's penguin colony with the arrival of three new feathered members.

The Mandai Wildlife Group announced on Dec 5 its first successful hatching of a pair of gentoo chicks, along with the arrival of a rescued northern rockhopper from Australia.

The gentoo penguin chicks were hatched two days apart to first-time parents Riki and Peach. However, the parenthood journey was not without some bumps.

The first chick, which hatched on Nov 25, thrived under its parents' care, but keepers noticed that the second chick was being underfed.

"Riki and Peach may not have the experience to successfully raise two chicks simultaneously. This is a natural challenge for first-time parents, even in the wild, where often, only one chick survives," said Mandai Wildlife Group's assistant vice-president Anais Tritto.

To ensure the second chick's survival, the care team had to intervene, she said. The eight-day-old penguin was removed from the nest to be hand-raised in the research room.

The public can view it during scheduled feeding times.