Baby penguin born at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium after TikTok ‘dating show’ survives illness

DRAPER, Utah ( ABC4 ) — At least one penguin chick has hatched at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium after the penguins at the aquarium starred in the TikTok “dating show” called “Love on Thin Ice.”

The “dating show” followed the aquarium’s 20 adult gentoo penguins during breeding season. The fluffy penguin chick was first discovered on June 4, when staff saw the chick nestling under its mother after hatching.

“Where there is love, there are babies, and these penguins are no exception,” the aquarium said in a press release.

“Penguin chicks are notoriously fragile and have a survival rate of only 30-50% in their first year of life in the wild, so the Aquarium Veterinary Team diligently examined the chick regularly during the first two weeks of life,” the aquarium said.

The aquarium said the chick began to show signs of illness after about two weeks, and staff treated the baby penguin for pneumonia and anemia. The baby then received supplemental oxygen while husbandry staff hand-fed the chick.

After its treatment, the aquarium said the chick is now strong and growing. Because the chick is still young — and cannot yet swim — it is being kept in a “playpen-like structure” within the penguin habitat.

“This structure allows the chick to integrate with the colony while protecting it from the water,” the aquarium said.

The fluffy feathers of the baby penguin are not waterproof, and the chick will not be able to swim until its waterproof feathers grow in after its first molt.

“Baby penguins grow fast, and guests won’t have a long time to see the chick before it resembles the older gentoo penguins,” the aquarium said. “There is a possibility of more than one baby penguin at the Aquarium, and our team remains on chick watch.”

The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium said male gentoo penguins usually present female penguins with a pebble at the beginning of breeding season. The females usually lay two eggs, and the adults take turns incubating the eggs for 34 to 37 days.

Gentoo penguins are the third-largest penguin species and can swim up to 22 miles per hour, according to the aquarium.

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