Staff at Dublin Zoo have been celebrating after welcoming two adorable newborn penguin chicks.
The first Humboldt chick was born on March 29 to parents Monica (7) and Joey (8) while the second chick was born on April 3 to parents Magdalena (18) and Patrick.
The cuddly newborns are the newest members of the 16 strong colony in Dublin Zoo’s penguin habitat.
Magdalena and Patrick first laid an egg together back in 2007 and are the parents of new mum Monica.
Their other offspring include Chandler and Phoebe – both still in Dublin Zoo.
Ciaran McMahon, team leader at Dublin Zoo said they were "thrilled" to welcome the new additions in such difficult times.
He said: "They are important births for the species. Some of the parent names might seem strangely familiar to fans of a certain show, but in the last number of years all new arrivals at Dublin Zoo have been given names from the country they are native to.
“While the Zoo is currently closed to the public, this goes to show that life goes on.
"The penguin habitat is one of the most popular at the Zoo, and we look forward to welcoming people back as soon as we can.”
Humboldt penguins are classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List with an estimated 32,000 left in the wild off the coast of Chile and Peru.
The Humboldt penguin is under threat because they build their nests in Guano (bat excrement) deposits, which are harvested for fertiliser.
They are also threatened by climate change which alters currents and water temperature.
Commercial fishing reduces their food supply and they can get caught in the nets. They are also captured by the illegal trade for consumption and the pet trade.
Since 2008, Dublin Zoo has been providing annual financial support for Humboldt penguin conservation through conservation group Sphenisco.
Sphenisco works with Chilean and Peruvian scientists and activists. They are involved with research, monitoring and protection of breeding islands, campaigning for the creation of marine protected areas and environmental education.
Dublin Zoo is still currently closed to the public until further notice in line with government directives.
But animal fanatics can tune in live to see an array of animals including the newborn penguins as well as giraffes, rhinos, penguins and elephants via Dublin Zoo’s live webcams.
