Orphaned Penguin Gets Two Moms

Biologists Adopt Baby Penguin Rejected By Its Parents

(CBS/AP)  Like many moms of newborns, Caitlin Hume still has plenty of work to do when she gets home. There's the herring-and-krill formula to prepare, followed by a little peeping and playtime, then bed.

For the past few weeks, Hume and fellow New England Aquarium biologist Heather Urquhart have been mothering a 22-ounce Little Blue Penguin that was rejected by its parents after a difficult hatching.

Each night, the two surrogate moms delicately pack the baby - covered in soft, gray-blue down - into a plastic cooler. Inside, the bird rests comfortably, swaddled in a white towel for the car ride home, oblivious to Boston's rush-hour traffic.

Once home, the still-unnamed chick - which turns 37 days old on Tuesday - waits in the guest room until Hume prepares a baby formula of herring fillet and shrimp-like krill that goes into a blender and is heated to about 98 degrees. The pungent meal, resembling a chocolate shake, is fed to the penguin four times a day using a syringe with a special tip.

After dinner, the penguin enjoys a long nap - not unlike a human baby.

"After you feed him, he'll make some peeping noises for a while, and then he goes to sleep," said Hume, who has no children of her own. "And then he's out cold until the next feeding" around 5 a.m.

The Little Blue Penguin species, which is native to Australia and New Zealand, is among three that are part of the New England Aquarium's penguin habitat. The other two include the African, native to South Africa, and the Rockhopper, which is found principally along Argentina and the Falkland Islands.

Andrea Desjardins, a penguin biologist who works at the aquarium, said the penguin team noticed an egg was about a week overdue from its normal 38-day term. They found the chick inside was still developing, so they essentially induced the chick to hatch by slowing chipping away tiny bits of shell, allowing the penguin to eventually break through.

When the biologists tried to give the bird back to his parents to raise it normally, they rejected the baby.

"I think they were just a little shocked that they went from eggs to a chick without the process in between," Urquhart told CBS' The Early Show.

Aquarium biologists said the baby could have died because it wasn't being kept warm or fed. That's when the surrogate moms stepped in.

"It's a lot of work, although I guess it's probably easier than having a real baby because I can leave him in my house when I'm done," Hume said.

During the day, the penguin is cared for deep inside the aquarium, away from visitors.

The baby penguin appears to be making good progress and likely will be introduced to other chicks by the end of May. Biologists won't be able to determine the bird's sex until it is three months old.

Urquhart, who manages the penguin exhibit, admits to a little separation anxiety when it's Hume's turn to take the chick home. When the baby is with her, Urquart said she will sometimes wake up in the middle of the night just to check on it.

She has been involved in home-caring for animals since she came to the aquarium 20 years ago.

"It creates a special feeling for you. You feel like you're part of a very special process," Urquhart said. "You're helping bring a new life into the world."

[veteran72]

"Orphaned Penguin Gets Two Moms"

Don''t ask, don''t tell.....LOL....

[rudy654-2009]

Does CPS in Texas know about this?

[hypnotoad72]

Why is this news?

Posted by republic1776
-----------------------

Because it''s not about a mommy and daddy penguin. If it''s about 2 mommies or 2 daddies, then it''s front page news... Usually everyone says "It''s nobody''s business", but then when the media starts up about them pesky penguins, everyone has to hoot and holler and forgetting that if it''s nobody''s business, why is everyone making a fuss?

What if it is everybody''s business?

Poor penguins.

[republic1776]

Why is this news?

[sgtrds-e4]

It is a cute story, but I''m still surprised that the social conservatives aren''t screaming that the bird needs a mom and a dad, not two moms.

;-)

[msay3]

Thanks for the post, mswolfestock, I whole heartedly agree with you....

[msay3]

Excuse me, didn''''t you mean to say "It might make Y''''ALL more caring"?

Posted by berniepeders at 11:30 AM : May 23, 2008--------------
Oh, come on!!! Don''t be a smartmouth.

[berniepeders]

Hey, c''mon y''all; Every time y''all get off the subject; Maybe y''all should spend more time with animals; it might make you more caring ...Posted by mswolfestock

Excuse me, didn''t you mean to say "It might make Y''ALL more caring"?

[blackbug99]

How about it''s just a nice feel good story? Bush didn''t make the egg hatch late; Hillary is way too old to be the Mom; Chaney wasn''t quail hunting so it and it''s neighbors survived. Are we done yet? It''s just two nice women helping a bird. It''s a nice article to start the day.

[mswolfestock]

Hey, c''mon y''all - this was supposed to be a nice story about an animal being rescued by two women who make a living caring for animals. Every time y''all get off the subject and start arguing about politics, and calling each other names, "the terrorists have won." Maybe y''all should spend more time with animals - it might make you more caring and open-minded . . . . . about everything.

[mjvw2]

in other important news and signs that the economy is really in a tail spin daffy duck was spotted at the local walmart.