SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium has unveiled “Dunkin,” a fluffy three-month-old King penguin chick whose name borrows from the Sydney Kings, after keepers noticed its chirpy call sounds uncannily like sneakers skidding across a basketball court.
The pint-sized bird, who is already tipping the scales at around 10kg, has quickly become a crowd favourite in the aquarium’s Sub-Antarctic exhibit.
Kings players meet their namesake
The name reveal came with a courtside crossover moment, as Sydney Kings players Tyler Robertson and Keli Leaupepe dropped in to greet their unlikely namesake.
The pair swapped their jerseys for parkas and visited the icy habitat to celebrate Dunkin’s milestone and pose alongside the chick, which still wears soft brown down before developing the sleek black-and-white feathers that define King penguins.
“At three months old, Dunkin is doing exceptionally well,” said Renee Howell, Curatorial Supervisor of Sub-Antarctic Penguins at SEA LIFE Sydney. “Each day the chick is becoming more adventurous and exploring the ice. Little Dunk is a favourite for both our team and visitors.”
Dunkin’s parents, Quentin and Forrest, share feeding and guarding duties, following the cooperative parenting style typical of King penguins.
In the wild, the species (Aptenodytes patagonicus) can take more than a year to raise a chick, one of the longest breeding cycles of any bird, according to conservation groups including BirdLife International.
See Dunkin this weekend!
Finally, visitors can now spot Dunkin waddling alongside its parents in the aquarium’s penguin habitat, where the chick’s curious nature (and squeaky, court-inspired call) have been drawing attention.
For families planning a weekend outing, it’s an easy win to see a baby penguin with a sporting fever, right in the heart of Darling Harbour.
