Penguin chicks born at Chester Zoo named in tribute to NHS workers

Keepers at Chester Zoo have named five newly-hatched penguin chicks in tribute to NHS workers.

Born between March 26 and April 14, the Humboldt penguins have been named Florence (after Florence Nightingale), Thomas (after St Thomas’ Hospital), Bevan (after NHS founder Aneurin Bevan), Arrowe (after Arrowe Park Hospital) and Countess (after the Countess of Chester Hospital).

The new chicks will spend the first eight weeks of their lives in their nests being cared for by both parents.

Anne Morris, lead penguin keeper at the zoo, said: “The arrival of Humboldt penguin chicks always signals the start of spring and, although it’s still early days, the chicks look really healthy and the parents are doing a fab job of caring for their new arrivals.

“Each year the team chooses a new naming theme for the chicks and, given everything that is happening around us, we decided to name this year’s class after NHS hospitals in acknowledgement of our wonderful NHS heroes, just as a thank you from everyone here at the zoo.”

Humboldt penguins are the most at risk of the world’s 17 penguin species, listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.