Chester Zoo have scored a winner with the arrival of a little baby penguin chick – which they have named after Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.
In preparation for this summer’s World Cup in Brazil, Zoo keepers decided to mark this year’s fledglings after some of England’s brightest stars, past and present.
Weighing in at just 87g, Rooney has joined an illustrious trio of penguin chicks named after some of England’s World Cup Heroes.
Wazza joins current England captain (Steven) Gerrard and 1966 World Cup heroes (Gordon) Banks and (Bobby) Moore.
Speaking to the Chester Chronicle, Lead penguin keeper Karen Neech said: “Choosing names for the chicks is always a poser but with one eye on the World Cup we decided to kick off this year’s football campaign with some stars of our own.
“Footballers have very strict diets and things are just the same for our new arrivals. But whereas footballers can look forward to a protein shake ours grow strong on a diet of regurgitated ‘fish smoothie’ provided by their parents.”
The new arrivals take Chester Zoo’s Humboldt Penguin colony to more than 35.
Humboldt Penguins are an endangered species in South America, and typically come from the coastal areas of Peru and Chile.
Zoo Keepers will closely monitor the chicks for around eight weeks before they leave the nest to begin toddler training in the zoo’s special penguin crèche.
Eventually the chicks will join their parents in the main pool, just in time to cheer on England at the World Cup.
All image courtesy of Mercury Press, with thanks
