First penguin cub hatched at Eindhoven Zoo
Eindhoven Zoo's first penguin chick has been born. Late last month, the chick of this endangered species crawled out of the egg. The sex of the young animal is currently not yet known. The Humboldt penguins came to the zoo in Mierlo in 2020.
With the arrival of the chick, Eindhoven Zoo currently has twenty-six penguins. Stephan Rijnen, head zookeeper Eindhoven Zoo, reports, "The chick is doing very well, his parents are very protective of him and he is growing like crazy."
The Humboldt penguin is native to the coastal regions of Peru and Chile. It gets its name from the Humboldt Current, a sea current that flows from southern Chile along the west coast of South America. This sea current brings lots of food such as anchovies and sardines, making it an ideal place for them to live.
Threat
In the water, their natural enemies are leopard seals, sea bears, sea lions, sharks and orcas. On land, too, their natural enemies are foxes, snakes, dogs and cats. These animals prey on the eggs and young. Humans are also a major threat to penguins, partly due to oil pollution and overfishing. In addition, the nesting place of these animals is also disturbed by man. Indeed, the nest consists of a dug-out pit with a thick layer of dried bird droppings. This bird poop is very fertile, so this layer is scraped off by humans.
Rijnen is therefore very happy with this birth, "There is a European management program for this penguin species. We are happy and proud that with the birth of this chick we can contribute to the healthy population of this species in zoos."
Pink spot
Scattered around the world, there are eighteen different species of penguins. Humboldt penguins are medium-sized and have a relatively large head. They have a black back and tail and a black band that runs down the chest on either side over the body along the flippers. Their face is also black, but there is a white band between its neck and head. A characteristic of this species is the pink spot around their beak.
Male and female penguins look so much alike that gender cannot be determined from their appearance. To determine this, it is necessary to send a feather for DNA analysis. DNA material is attached to the feather and with it the sex can be determined.
Want to read more? And always stay up to date with the latest animal news and updates from now on? Then subscribehere sign up for the Eindhoven Zoo newsletter.