Grand Rapids —
A baby penguin at John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids is being raised by
foster parents as part of an effort to improve its chances of survival. The Grand Rapids Press
reports the mother laid two eggs. Zookeeper Kristi Koole says sometimes
the chance of survival isn’t as good for the baby from the second egg,
since the parents can be preoccupied with the first one.
In this
case, the second egg was given to foster mom Rio and her mate, Rascal.
Koole said the arrangement isn’t common, but is done if needed.
Koole
says the number of baby penguins born at the zoo varies. Last year, two
were born. In 2014 there were five. Currently, the zoo has 26 adult
penguins, two babies and one on the way.
The Penguin Camera is located on Torgersen Island (64°46’S, 64°04’W), off the coast of Anvers Island and less than a mile from Palmer Station. Torgersen Island is home to a colony of Adélie penguins numbering approximately 2,500. This camera is seasonal and operates primarily from October to February, the Adélie breeding season. The camera is solar-powered and may sometimes experience brief outages due to inclement weather. School classrooms and other educational demonstrations will often take control of the camera, moving it to gain better views of the colony.
No comments:
Post a Comment