Birdland Park and Gardens in Bourton-on-the-Water, located in the Cotswolds, is celebrating a remarkable event: the first successful hatching of a king penguin chick in the UK in 12 years. The chick arrived on Thursday, 20 August, following an attentive two-month incubation period.
This rare birth has delighted the park’s keepers, who posted a video of the chick and remarked on the significance of the milestone. They explained that the coming weeks will be crucial, with their team diligently monitoring each feeding and weighing to ensure the chick’s healthy development.
The newly hatched chick weighed 188 grams at birth. Its parents, French and Frank, have an important legacy; Frank is the father of Spike, the last king penguin chick to hatch successfully in the UK, also at Birdland, back in 2014.
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Alistair Keen, Head of Living Collection at Birdland Park and Gardens, expressed the warmth of the occasion: “This is an incredibly special moment for everyone at Birdland. When the egg was first laid, we had reasons to be cautious. French was a first-time breeder, Frank is senior by king penguin standards, and the egg was smaller than average. But nature has surprised us wonderfully.”
King penguins are known for their striking black, white, and golden-yellow plumage, and are the world’s second-largest penguin species after the emperor penguin.
Although birth is a significant milestone, Keen emphasised that much care remains: “The chick is currently being hand-reared by our team. Every feed and every gain in weight is encouraging. Having waited anxiously for nearly two months, finally seeing that little chick hatch was truly a wonderful moment for us all.”
He also noted a charming irony: “While many think of penguins as inhabitants of icy environments, this summer’s warmth hasn’t deterred us. As others sought ways to keep cool, our focus has been on nurturing one very important little penguin.”
Birdland staff remain cautiously optimistic and committed to the chick’s wellbeing as it continues to grow in this unusual UK setting, all while the park remains engaged in the ongoing tourism discussions surrounding the village.