Sadness as Blackpool Zoo's live stream ends in penguin chick tragedy

The hatching of a penguin egg, streamed live online by Blackpool Zoo, has ended in sadness.
Thousands of people tuned in hoping to see the penguin chick hatch - but there was a sad ending (Blackpool Zoo)Thousands of people tuned in hoping to see the penguin chick hatch - but there was a sad ending (Blackpool Zoo)
Thousands of people tuned in hoping to see the penguin chick hatch - but there was a sad ending (Blackpool Zoo)

In recent days, thousands of people have tuned in to the Facebook Live videos hoping to see the penguin being born.

But on Saturday, staff ‘with a heavy heart’ said: “Our latest checks have shown the chick has sadly passed away inside its shell.

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“We know you will all be as disappointed as we are, but unfortunately nature does not always have a happy ending.”

Yoda, one of Blackpool Zoo's two new penguin chicksYoda, one of Blackpool Zoo's two new penguin chicks
Yoda, one of Blackpool Zoo's two new penguin chicks

The egg was on an incubator for around 42 days, and the chick was to be hand-reared.

The zoo’s bird keepers will now focus their attention on the attraction’s two older penguin chicks – Yoda and Chewy – ahead of the public debut in a ‘few weeks’ time’.

The two tiny Magellanic penguins, whose mum Fern died in June, will be raised by their dad Gomez after being born in May.

They are expected to venture out into the open – where visitors can see the colony of 15 adults and new chicks – in the coming months.

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