Zoo Boise, a division of Boise Parks and Recreation, is happy to announce its newest family member. A Magellanic penguin hatched at the zoo on May 21, 2021. The chick was hatched to parents Jimmy and Rose and currently weighs a little more than 3 pounds. Zoo staff are happy to report that the chick is doing well and are amazed with how fast it’s growing. Magellanic penguins are warm weather penguins found in South America around the Falkland Islands.
This is Jimmy and Rose’s second chick. Their first offspring, Milo, hatched at the zoo last year and has since joined the main colony in the Penguin Pavilion. Jimmy and Rose have been a bonded pair for about two years, since Rose joined Zoo Boise from Sea World San Diego. Jimmy has been a Zoo Boise resident since 2008. He previously lived at the San Francisco Zoo.
Jimmy, Rose, and chick have moved into a temporary nursery inside the Penguin Pavilion. Guests will be able to view the chick through small openings in the nursery window. This will allow the penguin family to maintain some privacy while the chick grows.
Zoo Boise has turned the act of visiting the zoo into a conservation action. Since 2007, visits to Zoo Boise have generated more than $3 million towards the conservation of animals in the wild, redefining why we have a zoo. Zoo Boise is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, a national organization that supports excellence in animal care, conservation, education, and science.