The kids are alright: Endangered penguin lays eggs at Lehigh Valley Zoo

(Emily Paine)

 

Dale ShoemakerOf The Morning Call

 

Parenthood is never easy, especially if you and your children are endangered.
But for Thulani and Greer, a pair of African penguins at the Lehigh Valley Zoo, the fact that their offspring join a severely diminished worldwide population makes their job as parents all the more stressful.
On Monday, the zoo announced the pair had two eggs, a planned but important step in the endangered species' survival plan, which the Association of Zoos and Aquariums helps its members execute. Zookeepers had specifically matched Thulani and Greer because of their robust genetics and planned for them to breed together.
Zookeepers made sure Thulani and Greer were in the vicinity of each other and gave them materials the birds would need to build a nest. Because African penguins are monogamous, the pair will likely stay together for life, sharing nesting duties and care of their offspring when they hatch.

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