Penguin eggs incubate in 40 days and hatched on August 15. Penguin eggs incubate in 40 days and hatched on August 15.

As the country celebrated its 72nd Independence Day on Wednesday, the Byculla Zoo had another reason to celebrate as it witnessed the birth of India’s first penguin. The baby penguin was born to Flipper and Mr Molt, two of the seven Humboldt penguins brought to the Zoo in 2016. “The baby penguin was born at 8.02 pm last night. It is stable and is still with the mother,” said Dr Madhumita Kale, Head Veterinarian and in charge of the penguins.

The baby penguin will be closely monitored for at least three months and the parents will take care of its nutrition. “Until three months the parents take care of the baby, providing its food. After three months they are stronger and are able to take care of themselves. Only then they can be brought to be exhibited,” a member from the team of doctors had earlier said.

The zoo authorities will later conduct a DNA test to find out its gender and will then name it.

Read | Mumbai’s Byculla Zoo to soon cradle India’s first penguin

The zoo had earlier received a letter from an excited animal lover who suggested several names for the baby penguin. Mischka Mangurdekar, a six-year-old child from Andheri had written to the director suggesting several names including Ice-cube and Vanilla in case its a female and Cookie and Apollo in case its male.

Flipper, the oldest among the penguins, mated with three-year-old Molt and laid an egg on July 5. Penguin eggs incubate in 40 days and hatched on August 15.

Eight penguins — Donald, Daisy, Popeye, Olive, Flipper (oldest female), Bubble, Mr Molt (youngest male) and Dory — were brought from Seoul to the zoo, also called as Veermata Jijabai Udyan. Dory had died a few months later in October 2016 due to bacterial infection.

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