With the upcoming holiday in mind, every day up until the first day of Christmas we will be introducing one of our residents awaiting your support, among whom you are sure to find your favorite.
If you have been to an Evening Walk or Night at the Zoo, you will surely remember our marabou stork named Margó, catching fish thrown by her keeper with her gigantic beak – most of the time with great success since her feeding event has been a staple attraction at our summer events for years, so no stage fright can get to her. A resident of our zoo since 2005, Margó turned 18 this year – a respectable age among her wild conspecifics but marabou storks may live up to 40 years in human care.
Native to savannahs and marshlands south of the Sahara, marabou storks are members of the stork family, as their common name as well as huge beak and long thin legs suggest. Their head and neck are completely bald, making it easier to keep themselves clean as scavengers. While short distance flight is hardly their strong suit, they can reach amazing heights and cover great distances by utilizing thermal updrafts and their wingspan of up to 3 meters. Interestingly, unlike most other storks, they tuck their head in while flying, presumably in order to better distribute the weight of their heavy beak.
Like Margó, a lot of our residents are yet to be adopted. If you want to make them really happy while also offering us tremendous help, please consider becoming a zoo foster parent.
An Annual Zoo Pass can also be a wonderful Christmas present and a year-round source of joy. More tips on gifts and how to support us at: www.zoodebrecen.hu/content/supportus.html
Debrecen Zoo and Amusement Park
