Home to an already sizeable African penguin population, we welcome healthy offspring every year; following the hatching announced last January, yet another baby penguin hatched this February 12 after 40 days of incubation.
Yet to be sexed, the little one has an excellent appetite and takes regular walks with keepers. Until about one and a half years old, it will be very easy to tell apart from adults as that is when offspring fully lose their fluffy greyish brown plumage and molt into their iconic black-and-white suit.
The only penguin species native to Africa, African or Cape penguins (Spheniscus demersus) inhabit the southern coasts and nearby islands. They have iconic pink patches of bare skin above their eyes that aid thermoregulation; when the penguin gets hot, blood flow to these spots increases and the blood is then cooled down by surrounding air. Threatened primarily by the industrial fishing of potential prey as well as oil pollution, African penguins are currently listed as Endangered in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List.
We have been home to African penguins since 2008 under the European Endangered Species Program (EAZA EEP). By now, the daily summer walk of their youngest penguins, an experience unique to Debrecen in Hungary, has become a true visitor favorite and we are happy to announce that Penguin Walks will return this June.
Like a number of our other animals, our youngest penguin is also yet to be adopted. If you want to make him really happy while also offering us tremendous help, please consider becoming a zoo foster parent. Further info at:
www.zoodebrecen.hu/content/supportus.html
Debrecen Zoo and Amusement Park
