Bridlington: Zoo celebrates arrival of endangered penguin chick

Sewerby Hall and Gardens said it was "delighted" about the hatching of a Humboldt penguin

Zoo staff have celebrated the birth of a Humboldt penguin chick a month after they mourned the loss of its 32-year-old grandmother.

Rosie, who had lived at Sewerby Hall in East Yorkshire since 1990, died in March. She was believed to be one of the world's oldest Humboldt penguins.

Staff at the Bridlington zoo said her new "grandchick" was born on 8 April.

"The chick's safe arrival shortly after Rosie's passing is truly special to us," the zoo said.

Native to South America, Humboldts can live up to 20 years in the wild and are classed as "vulnerable to extinction".

The new chick's grandmother, Rosie, died in March and had lived at Sewerby Hall in East Yorkshire since 1990

Zookeepers at the Bridlington zoo said they were unable to tell yet whether the new chick was male or female and would not know until it lost its baby feathers and the formation of the head becomes apparent.

Once the chick's sex was known they would give it a name, they said.

Head zookeeper, John Pickering, said: "The chick's safe arrival shortly after Rosie's passing is truly special to us. We miss Rosie dearly but find comfort in the circle of life."

Mr Pickering said the new arrival had been "kept snugly nested, receiving the utmost care and attention from its parents, Sigsbee and Twinnie".

A zoo spokesperson has asked visitors to "respect the privacy of the penguin parents and their newborn, and maintain a considerate distance around the nest during this special time".

The new chick's grandmother, Rosie, had become a star of media and social media across the world, with her 30th birthday celebrations being featured on news channels in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.

She was also featured in Hello! magazine and on TV shows across the UK.

Mr Pickering said visitors to the zoo would have to wait until the summer before catching a glimpse of Rosie's latest grandchick, when it would venture out of the nest.