Penguin chick born at Sea Life Hunstanton has been named 'Squirt' after projectile toilet habits

A penguin chick born at Sea Life Hunstanton while the country was in lockdown, has been named 'Squirt' after its interesting toilet habits.

The site reopened this weekend and visitors were able to catch the first glimpse of baby penguin, born to parents Conker and Sushi on May 21st.

The family of three have been staying safe in their nest while the centre was closed due to coronavirus restrictions but now, as businesses begin to reopen, Squirt is beginning to come out and meet the wider world of the park.

Staff say the baby chick, who weighed 90g at birth, is feeding well and meeting all of its targets. But weighing the new addition to the penguin family is not without its challenges.

Penguins are well known for their rectal projectile ability and workers at the centre say that the new chick seems to loves taking aim at the staff during weigh-in.

Squirt's tendency to shoot faeces at workers happened so frequently, they decided to name the little one after it.

Lucy Frusher, an aquarist at Sea Life Hunstanton said:

“We have all learned to aim the danger zone away from us or face the consequences!

"That being said, this little chick has kept us all smiling through the long days that we have been closed and we can’t wait to share our exciting news with all our visitors when we reopen soon”.

Penguins do not reveal their gender outwardly and so the team will have to wait until the penguin is old enough to have a DNA test to find out whether Squirt is a boy or a girl.