Rare penguin chicks move to West Midlands from the Isle of Man - here’s where to see them

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The nine Humboldt penguin chicks, born at the Curraghs Wildlife Park in the Isle of Man, were brought to two zoos in West Midlands

Rare penguin chicks have been moved to two zoos in the West Midlands as part of a European breeding programme.

The nine Humboldt penguin chicks, born at the Curraghs Wildlife Park in the Isle of Man, were brought to Dudley Zoo and the West Midlands Safari Park.

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Three male chicks were transported to Dudley Zoo, and six females to West Midlands Safari Park, to balance their colonies and further boost breeding efforts. This comes after 14 chicks were safely relocated to a zoo in Northern Ireland two years ago.

In the wild, the South American species is classed as ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with numbers thought to be in decline. In recent years, the Park has raised more than £2,000 to support ‘Sphenisco’, a charity which works to educate people in Chile and Peru so they can help protect the species.

What are Humboldt Penguins?

These penguins live along the shore of Chile and Peru, according to National Geographic. They are around twofeet-tall at most and live for 15-20 years. They are carnivores and are excellent swimmers. They can dive up to 500 feet underwater to look for food like fish, shrimp, and squid.

Sadly, these birds are at a high risk of extinction due to declining food resources as a result of overfishing and habitat destruction.

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Penguins (Photo - PR)Penguins (Photo - PR)
Penguins (Photo - PR)

How to see the penguins?

These penguins are currently at West Midlands Safari Park in Bewdley. You can see them in the penguin cove at the park.

At Dudley Zoo, the ten month-old male juveniles are currently settling into an off-show area. They will soon join the females Banjo, Sparky, Nell, Jake and male, Elliot in the public walkthrough exhibit soon.

What did Humboldt Penguins’ caretakers say?

Kathleen Graham, the Park’s General Manager, said: “It’s a great success story. A lot of dedicated work from the team goes in to breeding and caring for our penguin colony and we are very proud of the achievement.

‘Not only have we made a significant contribution to the captive back up population of this wonderful penguin species, but also helped to boost the conservation work in the field.”

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Humboldt PenguinsHumboldt Penguins
Humboldt Penguins

A spokesperson for the West Midlands Safari Park, said: “The penguins have settled in quickly and are already swimming and eating with the rest of the colony. We must thank the Curraghs’ team, who kindly bred and cared for them until they were old enough to join us!”

Clare Barber MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture, said: “I am delighted to see the latest tuxedo of Manx penguins safely housed in their new collections in the West Midlands. The team should be very proud of this continued breeding success, and also their fundraising that is helping in the wild.”

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