Adopted penguin chick at Sea Life London to be raised as gender neutral

A four-month-old penguin chick at Sea Life London will become the first in the aquarium's history not to have its gender assigned.

The Gentoo chick, which is yet to be named, will not be characterised as male or female.

Sea Life explained that gender neutrality is common among penguins in the wild, and that it would be natural for the chick to develop into a mature adult without a gendered name.

The new penguin chick was raised by a same-sex penguin couple, after penguins Rocky and Marama took on an egg that a female penguin in the colony was unable to take care of.

The Gentoo chick is one of two of the species to be born at the aquarium this year as part of its conservation programme.

As the adopted chick matures, it may become part of this breeding programme depending on the gender its biology determines.