Endangered African penguins hatch at San Diego Zoo for 1st time

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Thursday, May 9, 2019
Endangered African penguins hatch at San Diego Zoo for 1st time
Two adorable baby penguins are the newest arrivals at the San Diego Zoo.

SAN DIEGO (KABC) -- Two adorable baby penguins are the newest arrivals at the San Diego Zoo.

The zoo provided a first look at the chicks, Doug and Barbara, that hatched two months ago.

Zoo officials say this is the first time eggs laid by its adult penguins have hatched.

The staff has been working with the chicks to get them used to humans before they are introduced into the penguin colony in the next few weeks.

African penguins are an endangered species, with only 2,300 breeding pairs known to exist.

The decline is blamed on several factors, including disease, habitat destruction and lack of food from overfishing, climate change and pollution.