Baby king penguin makes his royal debut at Central Park Zoo

 A royal debut in New York’s Central Park Zoo has helped warm hearts during one of the coldest periods in the city’s history. The birth of the king penguin chick last August drew celebrations at its arrival as it was the first such penguin to hatch at the zoo. Now, CBS New York reports, the six-month old is coming out to meet its public in weather more suitable to penguins than people.

King penguin and fluffy baby Image by Sally Walton / CC BY 2.0

Animal curator, Sue Cardillo, described it as a “big deal” for the zoo, because it had only a small colony of king penguins and one female. Personnel were delighted that she had managed to breed with a male that the zoo had on exhibit, she explained. Both parents of the chick are understood to be four years old and this is their first offspring. The new penguin family is now back on display at the zoo, after taking a backseat over the past number of months as the chick was given time to develop.

Ms Cardillo said the most recent regal arrival was “very fluffy, brown, [with] downy feathers”. Over the coming months the brown feathers will molt as the chick grows into adulthood by developing its black, white, and yellow penguin plumage. It is understood that the sex of the young penguin is not yet determined.