A tiny king penguin chick weighing less than 200 grams has survived a summer heatwave to become the first of its kind born in the UK in over a decade.
Keepers at Birdland Park and Gardens in Gloucestershire are now hand-rearing the new arrival. The chick weighed just 188 grams when it hatched after a two-month incubation period. When fully grown, it could weigh up to 18 kilograms.
The little chick overcame several obstacles before hatching. Its mother, French, was a first-time breeder, while its father, Frank, is an elderly penguin. The egg was also unusually small at 298 grams.
In the wild, king penguin parents keep their egg warm by placing it on top of their feet under a fold of fat. However, Frank placed the egg incorrectly between himself and French. Seeing the danger, park staff quickly moved the egg to an incubator for safety.
Staff also had to protect the egg from high summer temperatures. Head keeper Alistair Keen said the team spent weeks focusing on keeping the egg safe during the hot weather.
Breeding king penguins is notoriously difficult because they lay only one egg at a time, and breeding cycles can take years. The last successful hatching of a king penguin chick in the UK was at the same park in 2014.
Visitors will have to wait before seeing the new chick. It is currently being cared for behind the scenes and may take up to 16 months before it grows adult feathers and fledges.