CHICAGO — Tussock and Pinguino are the two newest penguins hopping around with the colony at the Shedd Aquarium.
The adult southern rockhopper penguins were recently introduced to other birds in the Polar Play Zone, where Shedd visitors can stop by to see them. They have orange beaks and long, yellow crest feathers, according to the aquarium.
Visitors can tell the newest penguins apart by the colors on their flippers: 13-year-old Pinguino has a double purple band while 15-year-old Tussock’s is purple and red.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies southern rockhopper penguins as a vulnerable species, which means the population is decreasing year by year.
Pinguino and Tussock’s arrival at the Shedd is meant to bolster the species’ population, and the animal care team hopes Tussock and Pinguino will pair up in future nesting and breeding seasons, leading to chicks, according to the Shedd.
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