Paradise Wildlife Park is celebrating World Penguin Day by launching our naming competition for our newest addition to our Penguin colony!
World Penguin Day coincides with the annual northern migration of Antarctic penguins. Currently, as recognised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) there are a total of eighteen species of penguins with thirteen of these species either listed as threatened or endangered. Here at Paradise Wildlife Park, we currently have a colony of seventeen African penguins which are listed by the IUCN as endangered. Our African penguins at the Park are part of a successful breeding program which over the years has brought many success stories. As penguins are often lifetime monogamous partners, we have been extremely fortunate with our colony couples.
Our newest addition was born on the 20th December 2021 to parents Albert and Akiki. The chick has continued to grow strong and healthy since birth under the careful watchful eye of its parents and the bird-keeping team.
There is only one thing left to do to ensure they become a full member of our penguin colony and this is to decide on a name and for this we need your help! Our zookeepers have chosen three possibilities but they need your help to decide which one would suit best!
Choose from the names:
Kufara – Meaning Merry in the language of Shona
Marli – Meaning Queen of the Sea
Kamali – Meaning Protector
NOW Head over to our Instagram to help choose the name of our Penguin Chick!
Here at Paradise, you can adopt one of our African penguins or you can even come and Feed a Penguin in a unique experience where you will gain a great insight into the species whilst being up close to the unique personalities of African penguins. With all funds going back into the work of the charity and the conservation.
Our efforts to protect these beautiful creatures goes beyond Paradise Wildlife Park and into their wild conservation through our support to The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). SANCCOB is a registered non-profit organisation, whose primary objective is to reverse the decline of seabird populations through the rescue, rehabilitation and release of ill, injured, abandoned and oiled seabirds. With the estimates of only 18,000 breeding pairs left in the wild, SANCCOBs efforts play a vital part in protecting the species and ecosystems surrounding them. Their consistent efforts in the conservation of the African penguins and a number of other seabird species aids the overall protection of these animals for future generations. SANCCOB plays a vital part in the conservation efforts and every year Paradise Wildlife Park raises funds for SANCCOB to continue their necessary work. Without the support of everyone, these efforts wouldn’t be possible and with this support, we hope this incredible species, the penguin-like to many others, will be around for generations to come.
