The new arrival weighs 188g (6.6oz) but could weigh up to 18kg (39lbs) as an adult<\/p>\n
A wildlife park is celebrating the hatching of the first king penguin chick in the UK since 2014.<\/p>\n
The chick weighed 188g (6.6oz) when it hatched and is being hand-reared by keepers at Birdland Park and Gardens in Gloucestershire, who previously had to move the egg to an incubator for safety reasons.<\/p>\n
The egg belongs to parents French and Frank, with staff at the zoo saying the chick has already overcome several obstacles to survive – including the heat.<\/p>\n
"While everyone else has been talking about how to keep cool this summer, we've spent the past few weeks concentrating on one very important little penguin," said Alistair Keen, head of living collection at the park.<\/p>\n
"There's a long way to go and we won't be taking anything for granted, but we're delighted with the progress so far."<\/p>\n
Alistair King says "every feed and every bit of weight gained is another encouraging step forward" for the chick<\/p>\n
King penguin parents share incubation duties by putting eggs on top of their feet and covering them with a fold of fat.<\/p>\n
However, keepers moved the egg to an incubator after Frank incorrectly positioned the egg between himself and French.<\/p>\n
The park said the egg was also slightly smaller than expected, weighing 298g (10oz) – just one of the challenges Keen said the chick had to overcome.<\/p>\n
"French was a first-time breeder, Frank is an elderly gentleman by king penguin standards, and the egg itself was smaller than average," he said. "But nature has surprised us in the best possible way."<\/p>\n
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The incubation period lasted for two months and it may be another 16 months before the chick fledges.<\/p>\n