Emperor penguins make babies at Hengqin’s Ocean Kingdom

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, the world's largest such theme park, last week reported that seven of its 350 Emperor penguins have laid eggs -- a record in China's tropical area. "The penguin babies will hatch in the second half of May at the soonest," said a spokesperson.

The park, the representative added, plans a special diet to ensure optimum growth for each baby penguin. It also has created a habitat close in nature to the Antarctic so that the penguins have adapted to the surroundings over the past two years, according to the spokesperson. On the other hand, Chimelong International Ocean Resort in Hengqin New Area, Zhuhai is south of the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere.

Whereas each female Emperor penguin lays only one egg, incubation of each precious progeny is primarily the responsibility of the male. This is unique to the Emperor because other penguin species take turns warming the egg and feeding the newborns. The incubation period is two months, during which the male won't step away from the eggs -- eating and drinking nothing. The female, meanwhile, hunts for food in the sea before she takes her turn just before the hatching. In the wild, she identifies the male penguin from among thousands by vocal means when switching duties during incubation or chick rearing.

At Ocean Kingdom, it is easier than in crowded Antarctica to find her true love caring for their offspring. They are monogamous for their lifetimes.

However, penguins sometimes lay unfertilized eggs, though with very low frequency. Those eggs may appear during the incubation period. One of them is on display at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom.

Visitors take photos of the Emperor penguin egg displayed at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom. [Photo by Chen Subi / Zhuhai Daily]