RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Racine Zoo has announced the hatching of an African penguin chick as a part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival.

According to Racine Zoo, the chick hatched on January 1. It's the third African Penguin chick to hatch at the zoo in the last three years. 

The penguin chick is just over three weeks old and is doing well, the zoo says. The chick weighed 63 grams when hatched and was the same weight as a size C battery. The chick doubled its weight by day three. After its eleventh day, the chick weighed the same as a soccer ball. Now, the chick is just over two pounds. 

“The Racine Zoo has been diligently cultivating our African penguin breeding program over the years,” said Beth Heidorn, Executive Director of the Racine Zoo. “With the announcement of our new African penguin chick in 2019, we are especially proud to be making a positive long-term impact on African penguin populations, especially as wild populations decline.”

In the coming months, Racine Zoo staff will determine the gender of the chick by taking a blood sample as part of a routine health exam.

For more information about African Penguin Conservation programs and initiatives, click here.