Penguin sanctuary opens in Gweek

Penguin sanctuary opens in Gweek

11:50am Monday 5th April 2010

While visitors may have fancied pppp-icking up a penguin at the new centre for the cute creatures at Gweek they had to make do with watching the cute creatures enjoying their new surroundings.

The sanctuary, which was launched on Thursday, April 1 by Cornish girl band Eden, has opened a new section to house the colony of four chicks and one adult humboldt penguins.

The new residents were all bred at the sanctuary’s sister Sea Life attractions.

Sarah Vine, from the Penguin Sanctuary said: “It went really well and the feedback we have already had from visitors, particularly the children, has been amazing.

“They loved the underwater viewing and for the children the bubble windows were really popular.”

These circular curved windows give visitors a real fish eye view of the penguins swimming around in their new home.

The sanctuary was built as part of an effort to raise the profile of the animal’s plight and to help future conservation efforts.

The current wild population stands at just 10,000, with the penguins thought to be at risk from sprat fishing and pollution.

Sarah said that the species was under threat from warming seas off Chile and Peru, which has lead to a drop in fish numbers and that by housing the penguins they hope to provide a breeding stock if their numbers should fall in the future.

Staff at the sanctuary are looking for help naming their new residents, and while the mum has already been called Ivy they four youngsters have not been named yet. Get in touch with the sanctuary on 01326 221 361 with your ideas.

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