Emperor penguin turns one at Japan theme park | NHK WORLD

Emperor penguin turns one at Japan theme park

An emperor penguin has marked her first birthday at a theme park in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan.

Emperor penguins are classified as "Endangered" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

The Adventure World theme park in Shirahama Town is currently raising 19 emperor penguins.

"Yoyo-chan" turned one on Wednesday. Park staff celebrated the occasion with gifts of ice in the shape of a heart and the number one.

Park officials say the penguin weighed 295 grams when she hatched, and has grown to 23 kilograms in a year.

They say Yoyo-chan interacts gently with the park staff and visitors are attracted by her cute, absent-minded appearance. Penguin keeper Omori Miho says she has watched Yoyo-chan grow substantially day by day, and she is excited to watch her future growth.

Keepers are currently monitoring a fertilized emperor penguin egg, hoping it will hatch successfully.