Parrot park the year 2022 begins, that of his 50th anniversary, with the celebration of the birth of a dozen chicks of three different penguin species: nine papuans, two rockhoppers and a chinstrap. A baby boom that, in the opinion of those responsible for the zoo of Cross port, “shows how successful their breeding season has been and the state of well-being of the animals in the facilities of Planet Penguin“.
Currently, the nine gentoo cubs can be seen alongside their parents on display, while the other three remain on display. baby-penguin, where they are being cared for by the team of professionals at Planet Penguin, since these species are much more delicate. In fact, its birth is considered a great success because its reproduction is a real challenge.
After this first period of artificial incubation of the Rockhopper and Chinstrap hatchlings, the temperature of the Baby Penguin will gradually drop and then its socialization period will begin, a progressive introduction to the facility so that they gradually become familiar until they are fully integrated into the group.
“These births augur a good year in the penguin colony of Parrot park, where every detail matters and, in addition to recreating its natural habitat with the 12 tons of snow that fall in the enclosure daily, the normal light cycles of Antarctica are also respected, now recreating the polar spring, a time of great light and long days”, details Loro Parque.
The Porto zoo points out that “contrary to what happens every year in the facilities of Parrot park, many individuals in the wild are not reproducing due to stress from changes in their environment. Unfortunately, the reduction of the icy space in which they live or the absence of fish to feed on prevent any guarantee of raising their offspring. That is why scientific work acquires so much value ex situ carried out in zoological institutions, because very valuable data is generated for the conservation of the different species that are key in cases of rescues due to natural catastrophes or for the design of conservation plans in nature”.
In Parrot park, visitors can learn about these species and the threats they face in the natural environment, becoming aware of how important it is to contribute to their protection.
