Three New Humboldt Penguins Arrive At Birdland As Breeding Season Begins

Birdland Park & Gardens is delighted to announce the arrival of three new male Humboldt Penguins as part of the EAZA Ex-Situ Programme (EEP), strengthening conservation efforts for this vulnerable species.

The trio have travelled from Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo, where they hatched in 2024. Two of the newcomers are brothers, and all three have now joined Birdland’s existing colony of Humbolt and King Penguins.

The young penguins made the three-and-a-half-hour journey to the Cotswolds smoothly, travelling well and even taking food within half an hour of arrival. After complying fully with quarantine protocol, the new arrivals are now on show at Penguin Shore and settling in well with their new feathered friends.

Humboldt Penguins are native to the coasts of Peru and Chile and are currently listed as vulnerable in the wild, facing threats including climate change, overfishing and habitat disturbance. Managed breeding programmes such as the EEP play a vital role in maintaining a healthy, genetically diverse population in conservation zoos across Europe.

Last year, Head Keeper Alistair Keen travelled to Peru where he joined scientists and wildlife specialists from around the world to help protect wild Humboldt populations.

As part of the Punta San Juan Programme, Alistair spent more than two weeks volunteering on Peru’s remote Pacific coast, collecting data, monitoring wildlife and building over a hundred artificial nest boxes that provide safe, shaded breeding sites for Humboldt penguins.

The experience strengthened Birdland’s ongoing commitment to supporting global conservation initiatives both in the wild and within conservation zoos.

The arrival of the three new males is therefore more than just an exciting addition for visitors, and forms part of a coordinated, international effort to safeguard the future of the species, both in South America and here in the UK.

Adding to the excitement, Birdland will soon be launching a naming competition across its social media channels, giving followers the chance to help choose names for the new arrivals. Details on how to enter will be announced shortly.

The new additions arrive at a particularly promising time, as Birdland’s established penguin group is already showing signs of the upcoming breeding season. All three existing pairs have returned to the same nests they used last year, a strong indicator that eggs could be on the way in the coming weeks.

Now settled into their surroundings, the three new arrivals are making themselves at home at Penguin Shore, where visitors can watch them alongside the rest of the colony.