Trio of penguin chicks born at Birdland in the Cotswolds
A trio of penguin chicks has hatched out at Birdland Park & Gardens.
All three chicks, which were born earlier this month at the Gloucestershire wildlife attraction are doing well and keepers are pleased to see how they are rapidly growing.
Birdland is home to a colony of captive-bred Humboldt penguins who live alongside UK’s only breeding group of king penguins.
Head Keeper, Alistair Keen said: “This year we created a series of nesting site within the rockwork of their display.
“The nesting areas mimic those in the wild and definitely seem to be working well as there are a number of pairs who have been sitting on eggs and displaying typical courtship and nesting behaviour,” he added.
Originally from South America, the Humboldt penguin is found in and around coastal Peru and Chile.
The penguin gets its name from the cold water current it swims in, which was discovered by the explorer Alexander von Humboldt.
Humboldt penguins reach a maximum height of 70 cm and weigh up to six kg and can reach over 30 years old in captivity.
In the wild the Humboldt penguins are under threat from climate change, overfishing and the acidification of the oceans.
They are now officially listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature which means they are at immediate or imminent risk of becoming endangered.
With its combination of woodland, riverside and gardens, Birdland features more than 500 birds, ranging from the UK’s only breeding colony of king penguins and parrots to cassowaries and cranes in a mix of free-flying and aviary displays.
- Birdland Park and Gardens, Rissington Rd, Bourton-on-the-Water, Glos, GL54 2BN. Open Daily From 10am (Except Christmas Day).
Explore Gloucestershire
28 July 2016
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