BALTIMORE – The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore on Thursday announced that four African penguin chicks had hatched at the Zoo already this year.
“Breeding season started early this year, and these are the first chicks to hatch,” said Jen Kottyan, avian collection and conservation manager. “So far they are thriving under the care of their parents, and growing substantially at each check.”
The chicks hatched on September 22, 28, and 30, with the fourth hatching on October 15.
The Maryland Zoo houses a colony of African penguins that are native to the shores and islands of South Africa.
“In our penguin colony, breeding season runs September through February, which coincides with spring and summer in the Southern Hemisphere,” continued Kottyan. “Contrary to popular belief, not all penguins are cold weather birds. African penguins are from a climate similar to ours here in Maryland, and that has proven to be one factor in the success of our breeding program at Rock Island.”
The Maryland Zoo has been a leader in breeding African penguins for over 30 years, winning the prestigious Edward H. Bean Award for the “African Penguin Long-term Propagation Program” from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in 1996. The Zoo has one of the largest colonies of the birds in North America, ranging from 45-60 birds at any given time, and is currently building a new penguin exhibit, that will be able to house as many as 100 penguins.
“We have more than our usual breeding recommendations this year as we begin to increase our numbers for the new exhibit,” explained Kottyan. “Our penguins are bred according to recommendations of the AZA African Penguin Species Survival Plan (SSP) which helps maintain their genetic diversity.”
See more of the new penguin chicks in the video and photos below.
No comments:
Post a Comment