Photo: Adventure Aquarium. Baby penguin on December 21.

The baby little blue penguin on the day it was born. Photo: Adventure Aquarium.

Adventure Aquarium’s little blue penguin colony received an adorable new resident last month when its first-ever little blue penguin chick hatched.

The baby girl penguin hatched on December 3, just days before the one-year anniversary of the colony’s arrival at Adventure Aquarium. Since her birth, the chick has grown quickly, as penguins do, to weigh two pounds and three ounces – the average weight of adults in the colony.

In late December, the chick was transferred to the care of aquarium keepers to learn the feeding practice and become familiar with staff. She warmed up to the keepers quickly and now, she eats about 25 to 30 small whole fish each day. The chick will stay behind-the-scenes until she is ready to rejoin the colony.

An online poll will be announced on social media at the end of January to determine the hatchling’s name.