SINGAPORE: The penguin colony at Mandai Wildlife Group’s Bird Paradise is thriving with new additions, including two recently hatched gentoo penguin chicks and a rescued northern rockhopper penguin named Pascale.
First-Time Gentoo Penguin Parents Welcome Two Chicks
On 25 November 2024, gentoo penguins Riki, 4, and Peach, 3, became first-time parents when their first chick hatched. Just two days later, the pair welcomed a second chick. However, the penguin care team noticed the parents were struggling to meet the feeding demands of both chicks. To ensure the survival of the younger chick, the team stepped in to hand-raise it.
“Our priority is always to allow the parents to care for their chicks, intervening only when absolutely necessary,” explained Anaïs Tritto, Assistant Vice President at Mandai Wildlife Group.
“In this instance, as first-time parents, Riki and Peach may lack the experience to raise two chicks simultaneously. Despite this, they are adjusting beautifully and are providing excellent care for their firstborn.”
The first chick remains under its parents’ attentive care and may occasionally be seen by visitors, tucked beneath them as it grows. Meanwhile, the second chick, now eight days old, is being carefully nurtured in the Research Room of the Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove. Visitors can observe the hand-raising process by checking the feeding schedule posted outside the viewing area.
Gentoo penguins are known for constructing nests from pebbles, with both parents sharing incubation duties for around 30 days. The chicks’ genders will be determined later through DNA analysis after their first moult.
Riki and Peach were brought to Singapore in 2023 through a collaboration between Mandai Wildlife Group and Japan’s Toyohashi Zoo & Botanical Park as part of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) breeding programme. The initiative aims to maintain healthy, genetically diverse populations in human care, raising awareness of penguin conservation.
Rockhopper Penguin Pascale Joins the Colony
The colony is also set to welcome Pascale, a rescued northern rockhopper penguin, who will join the park’s only other northern rockhopper, Pierre. Pascale, a one-year-old female, was found washed ashore on a Western Australian beach in February 2024, far from her species’ typical sub-Antarctic habitat. Following her rescue and rehabilitation at Perth Zoo, she arrived in Singapore on 28 November.
Pascale is currently completing a two-week isolation period before her integration into the colony in mid-December. Her introduction will begin with a “soft release” to ensure a smooth transition. Pierre, also rescued and rehabilitated at Perth Zoo, has been at Bird Paradise since 2020. Hopes are high that Pascale and Pierre will form a pair bond, contributing to the preservation of their endangered species.
Northern rockhopper penguins, recognized by their striking yellow-orange crests and exceptional jumping abilities, are listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Both Pascale and Pierre were deemed unsuitable for release into the wild due to the risks to their survival, making Bird Paradise’s specialized habitat an ideal long-term home.