15 June 2014
Macaroni penguins Juan and Pebbles have rejected the company
of the other macaronis on the birds' preferred rocky beach at Living
Coasts.
They were now breeding down a burrow with African penguins, staff said.
Despite the "unusual behavior," the pair stood a "good chance of breeding successfully", they added.
Torquay's zoo is home to a total of about 80 birds of the two species, including 17-year-old Juan and seven-year-old Pebbles.
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But Juan left the macaronis and started living in the burrow
"after a squabble over a nest site with another male" last year, keeper
Cara Burton said.
She said: "He spent a lot of time on the African penguin beach during the summer.
"When winter arrived, he moved into a burrow - probably for shelter - and has stayed put ever since.
"Pebbles showed interest in him last year but nothing happened. This year she tried to tempt him back to macaroni beach a few times but had no luck, so she joined him. This is unusual behaviour.
"However, I think they stand a good chance of breeding successfully.
"Macaroni penguins always kick the first egg out of the nest and then lay a second. They have done this. Everything seems to be going smoothly."
Pebbles tried to tempt Juan back to the
macaronis' beach but had no luck, so she joined him with the African
penguins, staff said
The yellow-browed macaroni penguins have set up home among African penguins
A pair of penguins in a south Devon zoo have set up a nest with penguins of a different breed after the male had a squabble.
They were now breeding down a burrow with African penguins, staff said.
Despite the "unusual behavior," the pair stood a "good chance of breeding successfully", they added.
Torquay's zoo is home to a total of about 80 birds of the two species, including 17-year-old Juan and seven-year-old Pebbles.
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Penguins
- There are believed to be between 17 and 20 species of the aquatic, flightless bird
- They use their wings as flippers for swimming
- Their black and white plumage helps hide and camouflage them from killer whales and leopard seals
- French explorer Beaulieu, on a voyage in 1620, believed penguins to be a type of feathered fish
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African penguins nest in burrows
dug into sand while sub-Antarctic macaroni penguins usually preferred to
lay their eggs on piles of pebbles in the open, the zoo said.
She said: "He spent a lot of time on the African penguin beach during the summer.
"When winter arrived, he moved into a burrow - probably for shelter - and has stayed put ever since.
"Pebbles showed interest in him last year but nothing happened. This year she tried to tempt him back to macaroni beach a few times but had no luck, so she joined him. This is unusual behaviour.
"However, I think they stand a good chance of breeding successfully.
"Macaroni penguins always kick the first egg out of the nest and then lay a second. They have done this. Everything seems to be going smoothly."
Pebbles tried to tempt Juan back to the
macaronis' beach but had no luck, so she joined him with the African
penguins, staff said
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