Ten years of conservation breeding: twelve penguin babies conquer Schönbrunn!

Ten years of conservation breeding: twelve penguin babies conquer Schönbrunn!

In the Schönbrunn zoo, there is reason to be happy! Here, twelve cute penguin babies are hatched by the northern rock penguins, which have recently been seen in the new polarium for visitors. The youngsters enjoyed intensive care from their parents in the first weeks of life. Like meinzirk.at then took on the experienced zoo team for the small chicks by weigh and feed every day.

These lively chicks are not only cute, but also learn quickly how they can catch feed fish out of the water. The northern rock penguins are overgrown about 55 cm tall and have striking yellow feather bushes on their heads, which make them unmistakable. According to Nachrichten.at in the first time above all of the zoards.

conservation breeding and biodiversity

The northern rock penguins are very endangered in the wild. The reasons for this are climate change, overfishing and the pollution of the sea. Animal gardens play a crucial role in this because they represent important reserve populations for endangered species. The Schönbrunn Tiergarten keeps the largest breeding group of this penguin type and is proud to have the most successful growth in Europe. Over 100 off -breeding animals from Schönbrunn now live in other European zoos and thus contribute to conservation breeding. This has been coordinated for Felsenpinguins for ten years now as part of the European Conservation Breeding Program (EEP), as zoovienna.at explained.

The importance of conservation breeding goes beyond the penguins and comprises around 280 animal species, including threatened pet breeds. Team leader Sabine Frühwirth emphasizes that the genetic health of the population is promoted by targeted couple and group combinations. This is not only important for the rock penguins, but also for many other types, such as the dog fish and the Fiji leguane, which are also bred and preserved in the zoo.

The chicks are currently not only a sight for the eyes, but also a glimmer of hope for the preservation of their kind. With the Schönbrunn zoo at their side, they have the best prerequisites to develop in a protected environment and maybe also return to freedom at some point. An exciting future is waiting for the penguin babies!