Birdworld New penguin island on the horizon!

PrimateKid

PrimateKid

Well-Known Member
Found out news that Birdworld are hoping to build a new penguin island, using the same contractors that built blackpool zoo's penguin enclosure!
I think this is great news for the collection as this shows signs that the collection may be starting to upgrade and develop enclosures :D anyway i will update once i find out more information :)

PK
 
For some odd reason I am always interested in the Penguin enclosures at zoos... No idea why... Also PrimateKid, I must apologise as I first read your name as 'PrimarkKid' HA! D:
 
*UPDATE*

Just finished 2 weeks work experience at birdworld, and have found out that they are bringing in 30 black footed african penguins from Living coasts, to be kept alongside the already 21 humboldts :) Also arriving is a pair of toco toucans from london zoo and a Rhinoceoros hornbill will be arriving shortly after.

PK
 
PrimateKid said:
Found out news that Birdworld are hoping to build a new penguin island, using the same contractors that built blackpool zoo's penguin enclosure!
I think this is great news for the collection as this shows signs that the collection may be starting to upgrade and develop enclosures :D anyway i will update once i find out more information :)

PK
Click to expand...

Good news , I agree Birdworld is one of those collections that , although very good , it developes very slowly indeed, much slower than most in fact, and always very quietly,without any fuss or publicity it seems. Things may be starting to pick up a bit since they got their new bird curator perhaps?
 
What is the risk of these two species hybridising? I always assumed African and Humboldt penguins were not maintained together as their nesting habits were too similar?
 
johnstoni said:
What is the risk of these two species hybridising? I always assumed African and Humboldt penguins were not maintained together as their nesting habits were too similar?
Click to expand...

I was wondering that too, can anyone shed any light on this?
 
Shorts said:
I was wondering that too, can anyone shed any light on this?
Click to expand...

Yes , that crossed my mind too , I would say that there is a potential risk there as they are both of the same genus and I am sure these two species have hybridised in the past.
 
Hey, the two species are capable of hybridisation, but they are housed separately at Birdworld. The 22 adult Humboldts are in the old penguin enclosure, whilst the 16 Africans are in the new African walkthrough. There are also 6 Humboldt penguins in there, however these are still immature and only went in there as they were handreared.
 
The situation to me is bizarre - the new enclosure is wonderfully landscaped, however the pool area appears very small, and without any underwater or eye-level viewing, which begs the question, are the humboldts to remain in their slightly-dated concrete pool, with good underwater views but limited land-space?

I don't object massively to small-ish penguin pools if they have a large beach area, however to have two separate exhibits limited in opposite ways seems bizarre. I can only assume that perhaps a mixed, zoogeographic coastal aviary is the preferred way for exhibiting penguins at Birdworld, and perhaps the existing 'seashore walk' may be developed into a South American coastal walk-through with the humboldts being added? Otherwise, their decision to have parallel exhibits in the forms they currently take make no sense to me.
 
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