CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Just in time for the holiday weekend, the Tennessee Aquarium is celebrating an adorable addition to its Penguins’ Rock colony: a tiny Gentoo Penguin chick named Sherbert — at least for now.
Sherbert hatched on May 29 to first-time parents Carla and Bigfoot.
At birth, he weighed just three ounces — about the size of a candy bar — but he’s expected to grow rapidly, eventually topping seven pounds.
The official name and gender of the chick will remain a mystery until this fall, when a blood test will determine the sex.
Until then, staff at the Aquarium are affectionately calling the fluffy newcomer “Sherbert.”
As part of a fall fundraiser, the Aquarium plans to auction off the official naming rights to support its conservation mission.
Loribeth Lee, Assistant Curator of Forests, introduced Sherbert to the world with excitement, calling the chick “very sassy, very, very strong.”
“We generally wait until they’re at least 30 days old to publicly announce and put them out there for the media,” Lee explained. “But this little guy — or girl — has done fantastic.”
Sherbert is still in the early stages of growth, with about 40 days left before he’ll be ready to leave the nest.
“He’s only about halfway through the process before he can leave the nets,” said Lee. “So he’s still got a lot more growing to do.”
While both parents were new to the job, it was Bigfoot who really stepped up.
“Carla actually didn’t quite get the hang of it this year,” Lee shared. “She made big improvements from last year — she didn’t even know how to sit on an egg then. This year, she figured that out pretty fast. But when the chick hatched, she was a little confused that something living and moving came out of it. She wasn’t quite sure what to do.”
That’s when Bigfoot took charge. According to Lee, “Dad stepped in, and he’s basically been a single dad since day one.”
Visitors to the Aquarium may notice Sherbert looking noticeably different every time they stop by.
“He basically changes size every single day. He grows so incredibly fast,” Lee said. “Just getting the opportunity to see him from the beginning and then when he leaves the nest to take his first swim — it’s a really rewarding experience.”
Sherbert also marks a special milestone for the Aquarium: he’s the third generation of Gentoo Penguins to call Penguins’ Rock home. His father Bigfoot was born at the Aquarium in 2017, and his grandparents still reside in the exhibit.
“It’s exciting every summer, every year that we have the opportunity to have one hatch,” Lee said. “It’s just another amazing thing to watch them grow and to watch them fit into the colony.”
With his fluffy feathers, rapid growth, and feisty personality, Sherbert has already waddled his way into the hearts of staff and visitors alike.
