A same-sex penguin couple are now parents after their adopted chick hatched at a London aquarium.
In what might be the cutest, feel-good and heartwarming story of the week, two penguins are now proud mammies to a baby chick.
Marama and Rocky welcomed their little chick earlier this week at Sea Life Aquarium with the lovely news announced in an adorable Instagram post.
They have been together for five years and are said to be taking parenting “in their stride”.
Although the chick’s name and gender have yet to be revealed, an adorable update was shared today with a sweet photo of the newborn baba chick.
Alongside the photo, the adorable caption reads:
“Saturday well spent for our same-sex penguin couple, Marama and Rocky, who are getting to grips to both being mummies for our chick. Here’s a lil pic from when our chick first hatched”.
Speaking to The Independent UK, James Robson, Senior Curator for Sea Life London explained the decision to take the chick from its mother and allow the couple to bring the baby penguin up as their own.
“When a Gentoo penguin lays two healthy eggs it puts additional strain on the birth mother”.
“Therefore it is considered good animal husbandry to move one of the eggs to an experienced penguin couple to rear as their own. This gives both eggs the best possible chance of survival, and relieves the stress on the birth mother”.
Marama and Rocky took on the responsibility of building the biggest nest in the colony and are said to be looking after their chick by taking shifts, thus giving each other a chance to swim and feed.
We’re not crying, you’re crying…
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Meet Marama and Rocky – our two proud new mummies of our lovely penguin chick! ?#Pride
