SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium is thrilled to announce the arrival of a fluffy feathered bundle of joy named Primo!

The king penguin chick hatched on 6 February 2022 and is now seven weeks old, weighing in at approximately 5kg and having developed a fluffy layer of downy feathers. The chick is the baby of 16 year old Stretch and 6 year old Noel, both experienced parents who have taken to parenting their new chick like ‘penguins to water’!

The chick was affectionately known as ‘brown blob’ while awaiting its official name, which has now been chosen by penguin enthusiast and SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s fan, 13 year old Taylah Edwards from Te Puke. Taylah chose the name Primo as a nod to the mascot of the St John Youth Cadet program which she is a member of.

Primo is spending most of its early days cuddled up to its parents, eating a delicious selection of fish to help it grow up big and strong, and like any newborn, taking lots of naps.

The Sub-Antarctic King penguins reside in SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Ice Adventure alongside a colony of Gentoo penguins. They are ambassadors for their species, helping to raise awareness of the threats facing their wild relatives. The display is kept at an icy temperature of -2° to 0° Celsius all year round to mimic the bird’s chilly homeland of South Georgia Island where they are under threat from overfishing, invasive species and climate change. 

SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s is also home to rescued sea turtles undergoing rehabilitation, magnificent sand tiger sharks, hundreds of different fish species, and many more marine creatures. The Aquarium is open Thursday – Monday during the school term and seven days a week during the school holidays. All visitors must pre-book their tickets online in advance. Visit www.kellytarltons.co.nz for further information.

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