Lehigh Valley Zoo has announced that for the first time in more than nine years, an African penguin chick was hatched at the zoo.

Interestingly, the last chick born at LV Zoo was Bahati, the mother of this newest addition to the colony, on May 8, 2017. Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health, is the official motherhood partner of the zoo.

The male chick is still growing and acclimating behind the scenes, but Animal Care staff expect it to join the colony in the outdoor habitat in the upcoming weeks.

LV Zoo’s colony is now up to 15 African penguins — eight males and seven females — in the Jaindl Penguin Pavilion. As the sponsors of LV Zoo’s African Penguin habitat, the Jaindl family selected the name Fritz for the chick.

Fritz was the first successful hatch for Bahati, whereas his father, Thulani, 18, has previously sired offspring. The parents have been a pair at LV Zoo for about five years and were recently approved for reproduction by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums through the Species Survival Plan.

African penguins are monogamous, meaning they create pair bonds that can last years or even decades. All 14 of LV Zoo’s adult penguins have established pairs in the colony.

Fritz was hatched on May 8 — coincidentally sharing the same hatch date as his mother — but has endured a bit of a journey during his development.

Under human care, African penguin hatching and rearing looks a little different than in the wild. LV Zoo follows the practices and techniques proven successful at several AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums.

African Penguin eggs hatch between 38 to 42 days after being laid.

Fritz hatched on day 38. The eggshell was sent to a lab for DNA testing to determine if the chick was a male or female. Within a few weeks, LV Zoo received confirmation its chick was a male.

Fritz and his parents were observed very closely, and all three were kept indoors together to allow time for bonding, care, and safety. A camera was set up to allow for continuous monitoring by staff. Both parents took turns caring for Fritz, hovering closely over him for warmth and protection.

After about three weeks, when penguins weigh about 2.2 pounds, AC staff begin to hand-feed chicks. At this time, the parents are allowed to rejoin the colony.

Fritz was developing well until around six weeks of age, when the AC staff noted that his breathing had become deep and labored. He was examined by zoo veterinarians and diagnosed with pneumonia and was prescribed oral medications to treat the respiratory infection. However, his condition quickly became critical, and he was admitted to the Veterinary Intensive Care Unit. Here, Fritz was provided concentrated oxygen in addition to receiving oral and nebulized treatments, which deliver the medication as mist inhaled directly into the lungs.

Fritz spent about two weeks in the veterinary hospital until his breathing improved.. He was released from the ICU and returned to the indoor penguin habitat, so that he could readjust to life as a penguin.

LV Zoo will notify the public once AC staff deem Fritz ready for life in the outdoor habitat — making him viewable for guests of the zoo.

The Lehigh Valley Zoo is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with extended hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays through Aug. 15.

Tickets are available at lvzoo.org.