Birdland Park and Gardens in the Cotswolds has celebrated the hatching of a king penguin chick, the first successful birth of this species in the UK in 12 years. The chick arrived on Thursday, 20 August, following a careful incubation period of two months.
Located in Bourton-on-the-Water, Birdland has become a focal point amid ongoing tourism discussions in the village. The arrival of the chick has brought a welcome moment of joy and pride to the park’s team.
Sharing a clip of the newborn, Birdland stated: “This new chick is the first King Penguin to successfully hatch in the UK in 12 years, making this news extra special!
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“The next few weeks will be critical as our specialist team monitors every feeding and weighing, celebrating each milestone along the way.”
The chick, weighing only 188 grams at hatching, is the offspring of French and Frank. Frank, who fathered Spike-the last king penguin hatched in the UK in 2014-is older than typical breeding males, while French is a first-time mother. The egg itself was smaller than average, making this successful hatch all the more remarkable.
Alistair Keen, Head of Living Collection at Birdland Park & Gardens, commented: “This is an incredibly special moment for everyone at Birdland.
“When the egg was laid, we had several reasons to be cautious due to French’s inexperience, Frank’s age, and the egg’s size. But nature has surprised us in the best possible way.
“To have the first successful king penguin hatch in the UK since 2014-and here at Birdland-makes it particularly special.”
King penguins are the second largest penguin species globally, after the emperor penguin, noted for their striking black, white, and golden-yellow feathers.
“The chick is currently being hand-reared by our team,” Alistair added. “While reaching this milestone is significant, there remains a considerable amount of care required. We are closely monitoring every feed and all weight gains as encouraging steps.
“After nearly two months of anticipation, seeing the little chick hatch was a wonderful moment for the entire team.”
Alistair also reflected on the timing of the hatch during a warm summer: “Many people associate penguins with ice and cold temperatures, so the timing has certainly made us smile.
“While others are focusing on keeping cool this summer, our attention has been on one very important little penguin.
“There is still a long road ahead, and we won’t take anything for granted, but we’re delighted with the progress so far.”