First king penguin chick in 12 years hatches in Cotswolds village in tourism row
Summary
A king penguin chick has hatched in the UK for the first time in 12 years, thrilling keepers at Birdland Park and Gardens in the Cotswolds. The park, located in Bourton-on-the-Water which is currently at the centre of a tourism row , confirmed the latest addition joined their family of king penguins on Thursday, August 20, after two months careful incubation and care.
Details
Sharing a clip of the chick, the park said: “This new chick is the first King Penguin to successfully hatch in the UK in 12 years, making this news extra special!
Read more: ‘Fed up’ Cotswold villagers block on-street parking in protest against tourism chaos Read more: Fears of ‘alcohol-fuelled shouting’ from restaurant customers in at Cotswolds village suffering from overtourism “The next few weeks will be an important time and our specialist team are carefully monitoring every feed and weigh-in, whilst celebrating each milestone along the way.” The chick weighed 188g when it hatched, after an anxiety-inducing two month waiting period.
The egg belonged to French and Frank, who was the father of the last king penguin hatched at the park – and in the UK – in 2014 named Spike. Alistair Keen, Head of Living Collection at Birdland Park & Gardens, said: “This is an incredibly special moment for everyone at Birdland. “When the egg was first laid we knew there were several reasons to be cautious.
French was a first time breeder, Frank is an elderly gentleman by king penguin standards and the egg itself was smaller than average. “But nature has surprised us in the best possible way.
“To have the first successful king penguin hatch in the UK since 2014 is fantastic in itself, but the fact that the previous successful hatch also happened here at Birdland makes it particularly special.” King penguins are recognisable by their striking black, white and golden yellow plumage. They are the second largest penguin species in the world, behind only the emperor penguin.
“The chick weighed just 188g when it hatched and is now being hand reared by our team, so although reaching this point is a huge milestone, there is still a great deal of work ahead,” Alistair said. “We’re monitoring it extremely closely and every feed and every bit of weight gained is another encouraging step forward.
“We’ve been watching and waiting for almost two months, so finally seeing that little chick emerge from the egg was a wonderful moment for the entire team.” He added: “People tend to associate penguins with ice, snow and freezing temperatures, so the timing has certainly made us smile.
Report source: Gloucestershire Live