First Penguin Chick of the Season at The Tennessee Aquarium

   Penguin Rock is getting a little more crowded at the Tennessee Aquarium.
   "Chaos" and "Merlin" have a brand new baby that hatched in June.
   And the Aquarium is sharing the new family dynamic with visitors.
   They have put a microphone inside the exhibit to pick up the chick’s vocalizations whenever it begs for food.
   So far, check-ups show the new Macaroni is at the high end of the healthy range.
   “Baby penguins should experience rapid growth,” says senior aviculturist Amy Graves. “We track each chick’s progress through frequent weigh-ins and compare the results to the ranges we know are considered healthy. Since this penguin is staying pretty pudgy, it’s clear that the parents are doing a great job with feeding.”
    She also gives high marks o the parents.
   “Both parents have very laid back personalities, which is helpful when we need to do weight checks and clean the nest. They’re also a great parental team. Merlin serves as protector and Chaos does a great job feeding.”
    you can see the new chick in an acrylic playpen they have set up on the right side of the exhibit.
   But we won’t know for awhile if it is a boy or girl.
   They will have to give it a blood test later this year to find out.
   Then the Aquarium will have a name contest on their Facebook page.