This endangered baby penguin needs a name. North Carolina center wants your suggestions
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The Greensboro Science Center celebrated its newest arrival — and National Bird Day — by giving the public a chance to weigh in on what it should name the African penguin chick.
The small penguin hatched on Nov. 11, 2021, according to WGHP, and was a reason for the science center to celebrate.
“The birth of this African penguin chick is especially important because it aids in sustainability within our Association of Zoos and Aquariums community,” Megan Zelinski, GSC Aquarist, told WGHP. “The global population of African penguins has declined 73% within the past few decades, so it’s crucial we continue to create a genetically diverse and healthy population.”
According to the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, which partners with the Greensboro Science Center, African Penguins have been listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2010 as the population continues to dwindle annually. Maintaining enough penguins in the population to breed is a critical challenge that conservationists face.
Meanwhile, the Greensboro Science Center has anticipated sharing its new member of the family with the public — and coming up with the perfect name.
Anyone is welcome to fill out the center’s African Penguin Chick Naming Contest Google survey, where you can choose from three names for the baby penguin:
- Newton
- Piper
- Niffler
The deadline for the contest is 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 9.
According to the IUCN Penguin Specialist Group, the African Penguin is considered one of three species globally that “need urgent conservation action.”
This story was originally published January 6, 2022 at 7:37 AM with the headline "This endangered baby penguin needs a name. North Carolina center wants your suggestions."
