For years, we have seen a steady increase in births. And this year, a true record has been set. So far, no less than five king penguins have hatched. And with another egg on the parents' feet and one in the incubator, this could be the best breeding season ever in Europe.
Blijdorp is the only zoo in the Netherlands that houses king penguins. A colony of 25 animals lives in the Oceanium, at least until recently. With the birth of the 5 chicks, the group currently consists of 30 king penguins. Within this group, it is clear to see which animals were born not too long ago. The youngest newcomers vary in size but can be recognized by their still grey and brown down. The enclosure also houses the slightly smaller gentoo penguins.
Where the chicks initially still stand with their parents, caregivers are increasingly seeing that some of the young brood are already gravitating towards each other. In these so-called 'crèches,' the chicks seek each other out while the parents go in search of food. Young penguins cannot swim for the first four months of their lives due to their down feathers and are therefore dependent on what their parents bring them.
The reason the king penguins are doing so well is partly due to experience. The Rotterdam zoo has been home to this species for 24 years. Caregivers recognize when something is about to go wrong with egg rejection. Sometimes eggs roll off the parents' feet, and they keep the egg warm with their belly. The 'rescued' eggs are increasingly successfully incubated. The chicks are then returned to couples whose eggs did not hatch. This still happens occasionally.