Chippy the Northern Rockhopper Penguin was hatched and raised by SANCCOB and now he has found a family of his own at the Two Oceans Aquarium.
Chippy-Goodwill the Northern Rockhopper Penguin was just an egg when he arrived at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) on 20 December 2017. He is the offspring of Roxy and Grommet at the Two Oceans Aquarium, they were only able to intubate him for a month.
The Aquarium sent the egg off to the SANCCOB Chick Rearing Unit. The organisation is renowned for their incredible rescue and rehabilitation of African seabirds.
“Northern rockhopper penguin chicks typically hatch after 33 or 34 days of incubation, but not little Chippy-Goodwill. Thirty-five days after being laid, on Christmas Day, Chippy finally made his move – beginning to use his temporary egg-tooth to break out of his shell.”
“This takes a while, and it wasn’t until 26 December, the Day of Goodwill, that Chippy finally “pipped”, the tip of his beak protruding through his shell. Tiny Chippy-Goodwill, weighing just 74 grams, had finally hatched!”
It was amazing news to find out that Chippy was a boy, the first born boy to Roxy and Grommet. SANCCOB then fed and cared for him until he was strong enough to care for himself. In just two months, Chippy grew thirty times his size.
“Northern rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes moseleyi) are an endangered species found in the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Their breeding range is restricted to only seven islands within this area. The majority of northern rockhopper penguins can be found on Gough Island and the Tristan da Cunha group of islands.”
“Rockhopper penguins are the smallest of the crested penguin species. They live on rocky, inaccessible coasts. Due to their incredible jumping ability, they are recognised as “mountaineers” among penguins.”
SANCCOB and the aquarium work together often as they both care deeply about the oceans in the Cape. Take a look at the little fluffball below.
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