African Penguin

[ExFmem]

More excellent info. here: viewtopic.php?f=304&t=2263

Thanks, Toko!

[nan]

for all these info

[Toko]

And nan will be the boss for the May birdies here

[ExFmem]

And nan will be the boss for the May birdies here

Will look forward to it nan!

[nan]

almost ready... wait a little bit

[Lisbeth]

Numbers


Not African Penguin, but.......

14,000

The estimated number of penguins killed for food by explorer John Davis and his crew aboard the Desire while discovering the Falkland Islands.
(Year 1592)

[Lisbeth]

WATCH: Be bowled over by Cape Town's unique penguin sanctuary beach

2018-10-14 07:21 - Marisa Crous

is one of the world's most Instagrammed beaches. It is nature at its most pristine. And you can even swim with penguins. Bonus! (Just don't get too close, they do bite).

Boulders Beach, just outside Simon's Town along the False Bay coastline of the Western Cape is an itinerary-first when visiting the surrounding areas of the Mother City. Have a swim, a picnic and a big amount of chill as the kids enjoy the surf which is sheltered in a cove created by the giant boulders.

Boulders is home to a unique and endangered land-based colony of African penguins. They are currently endangered due to issues such as over-fishing and low breeding numbers. Be careful in your interactions with these beautiful animals, especially those molting, as disturbing them might force them into the water, which could be very harmful to their heath at this critical life stage, as it helps to ensure they stay dry and warm in the ocean.


(PHOTOS: Marisa Crous)




(PHOTO: Alison Kock)

Recently, South African National Parks (SANParks) confirmed that as of 1 November 2018, conservation fees to Boulders will be cheaper for South African citizens, SADC citizens and foreigners with a SA residency permit.

Prices:

Standard Fee Adult R152 and Child R76
SADC Adult R76 and child R39
Local Adult R39 and child R29

So, there you have it: a) beautiful beach, b) swimming with penguins (don't touch!), c) great for family fun, d) price drop for South Africans and e) by visiting the Boulders Visitor Centre plus the beach itself, you are contributing to conservation efforts by SANParks in this Marine Protected Area.

https://youtu.be/2OEM01GlQa0

[Lisbeth]

In water, a group of penguins is a "raft". On land, they are a "waddle" or "rookery".

[Richprins]

[Richprins]

Same-sex penguin couple become parents
Two male penguins who paired up as a “same-sex couple” have successfully incubated a baby chick and are “doting” on their tiny offspring, an Australian aquarium announced Friday.
Two male gentoo penguins Sphen and Magic have successfully incubated a baby chick (below) and are 'doting' on their tiny offspring, says Australian aquarium | © Sea Life Sydney Aquarium/AFP | Handout



Gentoo penguins Sphen and Magic are happily “taking turns caring for their baby chick,” born on October 19 weighing 91 grams, said Tish Hannan of the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium.

Sphen and Magic had caught the attention of aquarium workers when they were constantly seen waddling around and going for swims together.

They then began to build a collective nest of pebbles, prompting the aquarium to provide a dummy egg for them to look after and, when they proved up to the task, a real egg.
In the wild, the chick would be unlikely to have two fathers


The pair have bonded, Hannan, Sea Life’s penguin department supervisor, told AFP. “They recognise each other’s signature calls and songs.

“Only bonded penguins will be able to successfully find their partner using their calls when they are separated.”

Unlike many mammal species, male and female penguins take on the same parenting roles, and share parental duties 50-50.

“There is no real difference when it comes to breeding behaviours between males and females,” Hannan explained.

So it “is common to have male-male or female-female showing courtship and breeding behaviour.”

In the wild, however, these courtships are unlikely to result in a chick, so they are normally shortlived, with the penguins becoming unsatisfied and looking for another partner.

“Because we have given Sphen and Magic the opportunity to have a potentially successful breeding season, it is very likely that they will return to each other again next year,” said Hannan.

This is not the first time same-sex penguin couples have adopted eggs in captivity, with a handful of zoos worldwide reporting similar cases.

In 2009, two male penguins — Z and Vielpunkt — successfully hatched and reared a chick that was rejected by its heterosexual parents at a zoo in Berlin.

Before them came Roy and Silo, two male chinstrap penguins at a zoo in New York who were spotted frequently trying to mate with each other.

After they tried to incubate a rock, zookeepers gave them a foster egg which they successfully hatched. Their foster chick, a female called Tango, eventually paired up with another female.

© 2018 AFP

https://lowvelder.co.za/afp/495286/same ... me-parents