Chester: Same-sex penguin couple hatch rare chick at zoo
Bird experts at the zoo carefully shared the eggs between the two nests to help give both chicks the best possible start and to help improve the chances of successful fledging.The Humboldt is the most threatened of all 17 species of penguin.
Chester Zoo's penguin team manager, Zoe Sweetman, said: "It's fantastic news for the species and a brilliant success for the international conservation breeding programme."The fluffy new arrivals are all being looked after brilliantly by their parents, having nearly quadrupled in size since they first emerged."The zoo spokesperson said penguin couples shared feeding and parenting duties, and this was supplemented by extra fish provided by the keepers.The adult penguins swallow this, blending it into a protein-rich soup before regurgitating it to feed the chicks.
Eight of the chicks, who live in the zoo's Penguin Island habitat, have been named Ursa, Alcyone, Quasar, Orion, Dorado, Cassiopeia, Altair and Xena after constellations and celestial wonders. The other two are to be named in a public vote via social media.
Humboldt penguin facts
This South American penguin is named after the chilly Humboldt current, along which the penguins commonly swimHumboldt penguins are social animals, living in relatively large colonies of closely spaced burrowsHumboldt penguins travel through the water at speeds of up to 25mphThey enjoy a diet of small fish, such as anchovies, herring and smelt and crustaceansThey are classed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)In the wild, Humboldt penguins are vulnerable to disturbances in their food chain caused by strong El Niño currents, which happen when surface waters in the eastern and central tropical Pacific Ocean become unusually warm
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'People don't make the link between cognitive function and inflammation but that's a growing area,' she says. 'If we have raised inflammation in the body, that will be affecting what happens in the brain. We have immune cells in the brain called microglia and when they sense danger, they start spitting out inflammation which we know is then linked to cognitive decline.' Eat more fibre to improve gut health 'Around 70 per cent of our immune cells are located along the digestive tract,' Dr Macciochi notes. 'The main reason for that is because the digestive tract is an obvious route for infection. We also have a collection of microbes that live in there and make up the microbiome.' Our microbiome is essential for producing immune-modulating cells, such as T cells which prevent the immune system from overreacting to harmless substances or underperforming when we do encounter a bug, she explains. Fibre is the forgotten key for good gut health and good immune health. 'When your microbes break it down, they produce short-chain fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory,' Dr Macciochi says. 'They keep the gut barrier really tight. They help seal up postprandial gut leakiness. Vegetables, fruit and legumes are all rich sources of fibre but it's important to increase how many you're eating slowly to reduce the risk of uncomfortable bloating, she adds. is out now.
