Animals

Penguin move to Bird Paradise goes swimmingly

A total of 32 penguins from four species arrive at Singapore's new bird park in the Mandai Wildlife Reserve

Updated 1 year ago · Published on 03 May 2023 12:00PM

Penguin move to Bird Paradise goes swimmingly — Senior penguin keeper Benazir Begum, ushering a King Penguin out of its exhibit at Jurong Bird Park. – Pic courtesy of Mandai Wildlife Group, May 3, 2023

A COLONY of 32 penguins consisting of four species – Gentoo, Humboldt, King and Northern Rockhopper Penguins – successfully made their way to the new Bird Paradise in Mandai, Singapore last week.

The penguins from Jurong Bird Park’s Penguin Coast were among the last to move, as the great migration from Jurong Bird Park to Bird Paradise wraps up.

To ensure the penguins were fit for the move, the veterinary healthcare team conducted physical checks before they entered their customised transport crates.

Smaller species like the Humboldt, Gentoo and Northern Rockhopper Penguins were picked up and gently cradled by the keepers, while the larger King Penguins were ushered along as they entered the crates on their own.

Guests who attended an early preview of Bird Paradise getting the chance to witness the penguins’ first steps into their new home in Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove. – Pic courtesy of Mandai Wildlife Group

The crates were packed with ice at the bottom to keep them cool before they were loaded into a truck that maintained a temperature below 12º Celsius, like their old penguin exhibit.

Minimising temperature fluctuation prevents thermal stress and ensures a safe and smooth transition for the penguins.

The truck made the 30-minute journey from Jurong Bird Park to Bird Paradise at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, where the penguins were introduced to their new home, Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove.

At 3,000m², the habitat is three times the size of the exhibit at Jurong Bird Park and features two saltwater acrylic tanks with a water depth of seven metres.

Veterinarian Dr Gabrina Goh conducting a physical check on Pinky the Humboldt Penguin while Penguin keeper Nuralyanti Jasni secures the animal. All the penguins were given a physical examination and weighed prior to transport to ensure they were healthy and fit for transfer. – Pic courtesy of Mandai Wildlife Group

The penguins were released onto Level 2 of Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove at the beach level of the habitat.

To encourage them to stay on the beach level to acclimatise to the new environment, temporary barriers were put up and removed yesterday, only after the keepers assessed it was safe to do so.

Some of the more curious penguins have been observed diving and exploring the deepest parts of the tank, a positive indicator that they are adapting to the new space. At this new multi-level sub-Antarctic habitat, visitors can observe the penguin colony waddling under a domed sky.

The new habitat even comes with its own Southern Lights, or Aurora Australis, which will be projected in the dome. The lighting in the habitat is also designed to mimic the day and night cycles of the Sub-Antarctic Falkland Islands.

The Aurora Australis project on the domed sky in the habitat. – Pic courtesy of Mandai Wildlife Group

This is a key welfare enhancement for the birds, as this allows for their natural biological cycles to follow the seasons in the southern hemisphere.

Special feeding devices, concealed within the underwater rockwork, serve as enrichment that mentally and physically stimulates the penguins.

Thawed frozen fish is propelled from these feeders to encourage the penguins to dive and express their natural hunting behaviours.

During these feeding sessions, guests can take part in the Penguin Keeper Talk, an interactive programme with the penguin keepers who will share nuggets of information about penguin behaviours and anecdotes about their favourite penguin personalities.

There are also plans to expand the penguin colony through ex-situ conservation programmes aimed at maintaining healthy and genetically diverse populations of animals under human care.

Penguins on the beach after barricades were removed. – Pic courtesy Mandai Wildlife Group

The King Penguins and Northern Rockhopper Penguin are part of the EAZA Ex-situ Programmes 1 (EEP), while the Gentoo Penguins are included under the European Studbook (ESB) programme.

Participation in these global population management programmes allows Bird Paradise to receive penguins from other member zoos.

In February, eight Gentoo Penguins arrived from a zoo in Europe, making them the latest additions to the penguin family. With much deeper tanks than Jurong Bird Park’s, the new exhibit also poses exciting new challenges for the animal care team.

The team has to undergo special training and certification for dry suit diving to clean and maintain the tanks while submerged in the cold water.

Coming soon, Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove will also launch the ‘Backstage Pass – Penguin Encounters’, an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour experience that dives into the expertise and dedication needed to care for the penguin colony.

At the Penguin Cove Restaurant on Level 1 of Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove, visitors can tuck into meals featuring sustainably sourced seafood, while they appreciate the penguins diving and hunting for their own fishy meals.

On Level 2, Penguin Cove Café serves pastries for guests who opt for seating to observe the social interactions between the mixed-species colony on the beach. Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove was awarded the BCA Green Mark Platinum Award last year.

The habitat was designed to achieve energy savings of 30% from a baseline reference model. This includes using 100% LED lighting within the habitat as well as an air conditioning system that uses magnetic bearings to help reduce energy consumption.

The building has also been designed with extra insulation to help maintain a comfortable temperature while using less energy. Get ready to greet the penguins when the Bird Paradise soft opens on May 8.

Visit birdparadise.com.sg for more information. – The Vibes, May 3, 2023