Hugh looks set to be a father!
But before you get the wrong idea, Hugh is not only the first name of the Playboy founder but also of a penguin at Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium in Kerry who is named after the legend.
Hugh is a 23 year old Gentoo penguin that along with his eight year old female companion Candy has finally produced two eggs.
Hugh and Candy have produced two eggs for the first time in Ireland.
This is the first time the couple, who have been together for over a year now, have bred and produced eggs in Ireland. These eggs could be the first ever Gentoo penguins to be born in the country.
Before they arrived in Kerry Hugh and Candy did manage to have chicks in France and it seems that this experience is working in their favour as they are sharing out the responsibility of keeping the eggs warm.
Hugh takes over the responsibility of keeping the egg warm.
And they’re not the only Gentoo penguin pair to have new responsibilities. Couple Kerry and Fletcher are also celebrating the arrival of a new egg.
But there is still a long way to go for all of the newly-produced eggs according to the aquarium General Manager Máire O’Shea who explains that there is still a chance the eggs won’t hatch into chicks.
‘As none of the birds have bred at Oceanworld before, and due to Kerry being a first time breeder… we can’t say for certain how successful they will be, and there is no guarantee the eggs will hatch.
‘We are being as careful as possible to minimise stress to the parents and make the breeding process as easy and calm as we can.’
The Gentoo penguin population could be increasing if the eggs hatch.
Fingers and flippers crossed that all goes to plan because these chicks are guaranteed to be seriously cute if they do hatch!
