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A little bundle of joy all covered with down feather is the latest addition to the South African penguin exhibit at Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa. The fluffy gray sub-tropical bird swaddled in a white receiving blanket recently made its debut to the public. It was born on January 25, 2001, measuring about four inches tall. The sex of the chick has yet to be determined by DNA blood sample which will take place after it marks six months old.

"The successful hatching of the penguin represents Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa as one of few, non-zoo participants approved in a nationwide breeding program,"; said Peter H. Schall, vice president and managing director of Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa. "We are proud that Hilton Hawaiian Village is only one of two resort hotels in the United States that participates in the American Zoo and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), exemplifying Hilton's commitment to quality care for our exotic animal collection and conservation programs," Schall added. The SSP is an AZA-copyrighted cooperative breeding and conservation program designed to maintain a genetically viable and demographically stable population of a species in captivity.

"Remy the mother is doing just fantastic and Oreo the father is a proud papa,"; said Wendy Kuhns-Higashino, wildlife assistant at Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa. "Not only is this chick a special result of the SSP program, but it is also a real cutie," said Kuhns-Higashino. The warm fuzzy penguin has been eating mackerel, regurgitated from its parents.

The penguin exhibit at Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa is home to Icarus, Betty, Shaka, PU, and Malia. Mother Remy is on loan from the Toledo Zoo in Ohio and Papa Oreo, originally from the Denver Zoo, permanently makes his home in Hawaii at Hilton. That little bundle of joy will be christened the Hawaiian name, Kalia, which means to wait for. "After all, we've waited patiently for 38 days for the baby penguin to hatch," said Schall.

Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa offers 22 acres of lush tropical gardens, cascading waterfalls, exotic wildlife, award-winning restaurants, great entertainment, over 90 shops and boutiques, year-round children's program, catamaran rides off world-famous Diamond Head, Atlantis Submarine dives, Hawaiian cultural activities including the King's Jubilee, a 10,000 square-foot Super Pool all on Waikiki's best beach.

Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa will welcome the addition of the new 25-story Kalia Tower, scheduled to open in May 2001. The Kalia Tower brings a new enhanced and inviting entrance to the Village, creating more open space with lush tropical gardens, meandering walkways, cascading waterfalls, and three bronze Kahiko hula dancers that will grace the waterfall at the entrance to the oceanfront Hilton Hawaiian Village where the Mandara Spa, Holistica Hawaii Health Center and the Bishop Museum will add to the many resort guest services and amenities.

For more information, or to make reservations:
808.947.7817

Edited by Stacey Brown

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