Rare baby penguin hatches at park

THE first baby penguin of the year has hatched at Weymouth Sea Life Park.

Staff at the park were delighted to find the Humboldt penguin chick cheeping in its nest box.

Displays member Stephanie Eustace discovered the large egg in pieces during her checks and heard the new resident hiding under its parents Rowan and Maple - two of the park's rare Humboldt penguins.

Displays supervisor Sarah Leaney said: "The parents keep the chicks very well hidden away in nest boxes because naturally in the wild they would build nests well away from any kind of threats - it's still very early days.

"Here we have high fences to stop foxes and netting over the enclosures and it is expected to come out at about 90 days old."