What's Happening in Poway, CA…

The San Diego Zoo recently said hello to two new arrivals – a pair of African penguin chicks.

The births of Doug and Barbara, as they have been named, were exciting for the zoo, since these are the first chicks hatched at the facility from eggs laid by other penguins in the breeding group. This is an important step for the penguin colony here, and also increases the worldwide total of this critically endangered species by two.

Zoo officials say they are just as excited about the birds as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are about their new son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, though zoo keepers think the chicks are somewhat fluffier than the Royal baby.

The chicks were hatched from eggs laid by Danny and Malloy, and Norinne and Simon, adult pairs. They are now at the Dan and Vi McKinney Penguin Habitat, which is located inside another exhibit – Conrad Presbys' Africa Rocks.

Barbara and Doug were named for Douglas G. Myers and his wife Barbara, with Douglas being San Diego Zoo Global's CEO and president. Officials might consider celebrating this achievement by using banner printing to create decorations for the exhibit.

Officials said keepers started working with the baby birds shortly after birth, getting them accustomed to the presence of humans, and to being handled, so that in the future, it will be easier for zoo staff to check their health, feed them, or otherwise work with them.