Cheshire Birder
Well-known member
I'm not generally in favour of keeping wild birds in captivity but in this case I would agree that it is probably the best option.
CB
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emperor penguin on NewZealand mainland (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Chlidonias
- Start date
I'm not generally in favour of keeping wild birds in captivity but in this case I would agree that it is probably the best option.
CB
Chlidonias
Well-known member
this would of course result in huge public outcry over its "imprisonment". Be that as it may, the only facility in NZ set up to keep polar penguins is Kelly Tarltons Underwater World in Auckland which keeps king and gentoo penguins in a climate-controlled room. If the emperor penguin was to be kept permanently in captivity the best option would be for it to be sent to San Diego SeaWorld which maintains one of the few captive emperor penguin groups (the others being a few birds in Japan and China) and I can't see that happening.
Chlidonias
Well-known member
penguin has his fourth procedure at the hospital, and so far still looking good:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5224012/Happy-Feet-back-on-operating-table
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5224012/Happy-Feet-back-on-operating-table
Kits
Picture Picker
Update on Emperor Penguin
More good news!
Article here.
A young emperor penguin found washed up on a New Zealand beach is recovering well and could swim home next month.
Staff at Wellington zoo said results of an X-ray and blood test showed "Happy Feet", as it has been named, is fine after endoscopic surgery.
The penguin was found on Peka Peka beach, about 60km (37 miles) north of Wellington - some 3,000km from its home in Antarctica.
Experts had been reluctant to intervene as the bird appeared to be healthy.
However, it later grew lethargic and was operated on to remove sand from its stomach.
A Zoo spokeswoman, Kate Baker, said the penguin has gained about 4kg (9lb).
It was given a first swim at the zoo earlier this week, in salt water that was cooled to below 0C (32F).
Crowds have been flocking to the zoo to see the bird - the first such arrival of an Emperor penguin in New Zealand in at least 44 years.
The bird's plight has attracted worldwide attention.
Hundreds of people had gathered to watch a leading gastroenterologist from Wellington Hospital perform the endoscopy on the bird at the zoo in late June.
To help it feel more at home, the penguin is being kept in a room chilled to about 8C. There is a bed of ice for it to sleep on.
Zoo staff said the bird would probably be released offshore from the south end of the country early next month.
More good news!
Article here.
A young emperor penguin found washed up on a New Zealand beach is recovering well and could swim home next month.
Staff at Wellington zoo said results of an X-ray and blood test showed "Happy Feet", as it has been named, is fine after endoscopic surgery.
The penguin was found on Peka Peka beach, about 60km (37 miles) north of Wellington - some 3,000km from its home in Antarctica.
Experts had been reluctant to intervene as the bird appeared to be healthy.
However, it later grew lethargic and was operated on to remove sand from its stomach.
A Zoo spokeswoman, Kate Baker, said the penguin has gained about 4kg (9lb).
It was given a first swim at the zoo earlier this week, in salt water that was cooled to below 0C (32F).
Crowds have been flocking to the zoo to see the bird - the first such arrival of an Emperor penguin in New Zealand in at least 44 years.
The bird's plight has attracted worldwide attention.
Hundreds of people had gathered to watch a leading gastroenterologist from Wellington Hospital perform the endoscopy on the bird at the zoo in late June.
To help it feel more at home, the penguin is being kept in a room chilled to about 8C. There is a bed of ice for it to sleep on.
Zoo staff said the bird would probably be released offshore from the south end of the country early next month.
NZparadise1
Member
I wonder what every happened to that penguin? They released it with a tracking device on it into the southern ocean, but it stopped transmitting a week or so later. I live only about 2 miles from where it came ashore, but I actually never saw it. Didn't know about it till late one afternoon when someone told me, and intended to go see it on the beach the next morning, but they took it to the zoo before I got there. It was certainly something of a celebrity here in NZ. Shame in some ways that they didn't keep it and use it as a promo to raise funds for bird conservation or something.
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