Penguin Chick at Chester Zoo

There's a cool new arrival at Chester Zoo: Aero the Humboldt's Penguin chick who hatched on Monday 31st March after being incubated for 40 days by parents Warty and Hislop.

The new arrival weighed in at a mere 85 grams with a sibling due to hatch out any day as penguins usually lay two eggs with the parents taking it in turns to incubate the eggs. It is expected that Aero - named after the penguin keepers decided to use chocolate themed names at Easter - will be joined by up to 20 other chicks by the middle of the the month.

Curator of Birds and Mammals at Chester Zoo, Mike Jordan stated: "We have a very strong breeding programme here at Chester Zoo and hopefully the team will be welcoming around 20 chicks over the next few weeks."

The chicks are weighed and monitored over the first two months with the parents keeping them warm and fed with regurgitated food. At around two months old the Penguin chicks will begin to feed on while fish and eventually leave the nest. Penguin chicks first 'pip' by poking a small hole in the egg and take a few days to hatch completely as they chip away at their shell.

Aero is currently covered in a juvenile down which will be replaced by waterproof feathers. The arrival of Aero and the expected chicks will make for a stunning site for visitors to Chester Zoo. Be sure to keep an eye out for these and many more animals. Book your tickets for Chester Zoo complete with an overnight stay in a nearby hotel with Chester Zoo Holidays today and turn a great day out into a perfect family short break.