Birdland Park welcomes new penguins
Four king penguins have arrived from European zoos
Birdland Park & Gardens in the Cotswolds has introduced four new king penguins to its Penguin Shore exhibit, increasing the colony to double figures for the first time since 2021.
The new arrivals consist of two males from Zurich Zoo in Switzerland and two females from Odense Zoo in Denmark.
After completing nearly three weeks in quarantine, the penguins entered their new habitat and began interacting with the resident birds.
Keepers report that the introductions went smoothly, with the new penguins confidently mixing with the colony and swimming in the pool shortly after arriving.
The recent additions include two-year-old males from Zurich, and a five-year-old and two-year-old female from Odense.
Names for the newcomers will be announced once they have fully adjusted to their surroundings.
These additions restore a balanced population of five males and five females, enhancing Birdland's long-term breeding programme.
Birdland Park recently celebrated the laying of its first king penguin egg in over six years last month.
Alistair Keen, Head of Living Collections, expressed optimism about the new additions.
King penguins are known for their extensive breeding cycle, taking up to 16 months for chicks to become independent.
The expanded colony highlights Birdland's commitment to king penguin conservation as part of the European breeding programme.
Visitors can view the full colony, which includes Humboldt penguins, as the new arrivals continue settling into their community.
The new penguins are expected to aid in the future success of the breeding programme and contribute to the management of one of the UK's prominent king penguin collections.