Officials still hopeful for new addition to exhibit
Asa laid the Calgary Zoo’s first penguin egg last month, but on Tuesday zoo officials said it wasn’t successful.
CALGARY
— While the first penguin egg wasn’t successful, the Calgary Zoo says
it’s still holding out hope it will have a new addition to Penguin
Plunge soon.
The egg that king penguin Asa laid Sept. 20 was “ultimately unsuccessful,” zoo officials said Tuesday.
On Saturday, Asa began moving out of the area she’d been staying in since first laying the egg. That’s when the egg fell off her feet and cracked.
“Asa retrieved the egg and again tucked it under her brooding patch but still continued to move toward the pool,” zoo officials said in a statement.
“Moments later she decided to jump into the water, at which point the egg came to rest at the bottom of the pool.”
Zoo staff retrieved the egg, and after examining it, found no sign of development.
“After 30-days incubation it is impossible to say whether or not the egg was ever fertilized, but since there was no development after a month of Asa’s hard work, we know the egg was not viable, possibly because of the male Tut being so young,” said area curator Dr. Malu Celli, in a news release.
Celli said the experience was still a good step toward successful breeding behaviour.
“Asa exhibited all the right behaviours even though her mate was young and inexperienced. We can anticipate that this will be just the first of many penguin eggs at the Calgary Zoo,” Celli said.
source
The egg that king penguin Asa laid Sept. 20 was “ultimately unsuccessful,” zoo officials said Tuesday.
On Saturday, Asa began moving out of the area she’d been staying in since first laying the egg. That’s when the egg fell off her feet and cracked.
“Asa retrieved the egg and again tucked it under her brooding patch but still continued to move toward the pool,” zoo officials said in a statement.
“Moments later she decided to jump into the water, at which point the egg came to rest at the bottom of the pool.”
Zoo staff retrieved the egg, and after examining it, found no sign of development.
“After 30-days incubation it is impossible to say whether or not the egg was ever fertilized, but since there was no development after a month of Asa’s hard work, we know the egg was not viable, possibly because of the male Tut being so young,” said area curator Dr. Malu Celli, in a news release.
Celli said the experience was still a good step toward successful breeding behaviour.
“Asa exhibited all the right behaviours even though her mate was young and inexperienced. We can anticipate that this will be just the first of many penguin eggs at the Calgary Zoo,” Celli said.
source
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