Zoo's penguin predicament: Staff member discovers motionless chicks outside nesting area
In the Cologne Zoo, excitement abounds as two new Humboldt penguin chicks, dubbed 'Boba' and 'Pinte', have successfully hatched and are now thriving. These little ambassadors mark the first successful breeding in fifteen years at the zoo.
Initially, there was concern over the health of Pinte, one of the chicks, as he was found lethargic and chilled near the nest cave just days after hatching. Keeper Julian Heck immediately took Pinte under his wing, nurses him at home, and has since returned him to the enclosure. Despite the continued need for care and nutritional support from keepers, both chicks are now in good health and are living alongside their fellow penguins.
At approximately three weeks old, Pinte continues to receive assistance from the keepers due to insufficient care from the parents. However, the youngster enjoys his daily meals of fish and is developing well. Humboldt penguins are an endangered species found on the Pacific coast of Peru and northern Chile.
Visitors to the Cologne Zoo may now catch a glimpse of the lively duo between 9 am and 6 pm, Monday through Sunday. Tickets can be purchased through the zoo's website.
Penguin enthusiasts might also be interested to learn that Humboldt penguins require intensive care and support in a zoo setting due to their reliance on their parents for food and warmth during the early stages of life. In cases where parental support is insufficient or when health concerns arise, keepers may need to provide additional aid, as observed with the Pinte chick.
Sources:Cologne Zoo Press Office, personal communicationCologne Zoo webpage: https://www.koelner-zoo.de/Humboldt Penguin Foundation: https://humboldtpenguinfoundation.de/Zoo et al. 2020. Nutritional ecology of colonial Humboldt penguins. Polar Biology, 43(5), 851-866.
Despite Pinte's initial health concerns, he is now receiving dedicated care from keepers and is developing well, along with his sibling Boba. Visitors interested in the lifestyle of Humboldt penguins, now including these two chicks, can learn more about them at the Cologne Zoo by visiting during home-and-garden hours, displayed on the zoo's website.
