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Ocean Park's penguin babies come out of their shells

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Ocean Park has unveiled the first king penguin born under its breeding programme. The chick was born on December 16 but it will take months before park staff know whether it's male or female. Penguins shed their non-waterproof down after four to six months. Only then will it be caught and a blood test carried out in order to identify its sex. Photo: AFP
Amy Nip

When it comes to the birds and the bees, the birds have sure been busy at Ocean Park, which unveiled two of its latest additions yesterday.

First off in the Polar Adventure corner was the first-born of two young king penguin parents, weighing in at six kilograms.

The only thing is, no one knows yet whether it's a boy or a girl, and it will take months to find out for sure.

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Marine mammal supervisor Frank Chau said: "The baby will shed its non-waterproof down in four to six months, then it will be able to swim." Only then will it be caught and a blood test carried out in order to identify its sex.

"A male and a female penguin look about the same and act similarly as well," Chau said.

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The chick was born to its three-year-old mother and four-year-old father on December 16.

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