First baby penguin

Prelims level : Environment Mains level :
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  • The first Humboldt penguin to be born in India named ‘the freedom baby’, born on August 15 in Byculla zoo.

 About the penguin:

  • Eight penguins — Donald, Daisy, Popeye, Olive, Flipper (oldest female), Bubble, Mr. Molt (youngest male) and Dory — were brought from Seoul to the zoo, also called as Veermata Jijabai Udyan.
  • The baby penguin is the young one of the imported penguins and it remains healthy as it is about 75 gm ( healthy baby have weight about 60-80 gms)

The Humboldt penguin:

  • The Humboldt penguin is listed under ‘vulnerable’ in IUCN list.
  • The species is native to Chile and Peru. During winter, they move towards north as shown in the figure.

Threats :

  • The Humboldt Current System has alternating
  • blooms and depletions of productivity triggered
  • by El Niño-La Niña dynamics. During El Niño
  • prey availability is reduced to penguins inducing
  • nest abandonment and chick mortality. However,
  • La Niña conditions improve food availability
  • producing higher breeding success and chick survival.
  • Industrial fisheries in Peru and Chile exploit the main prey species of penguins.
  • Alien species Rats predate on unattended eggs at several colonies in north and central Chile and also on chicks in Peru. Feral dogs have been reported to kill adults in central Chile. Feral cats have been observed at some islands in Peru.
  • Andean foxes enter coastal reserves in Peru and prey on adult and juvenile penguins; gulls and vulture’s prey on unattended eggs and small chicks.
  • In northern Chile, eggs are collected for local consumption and birds.

Veermata Jijabai Udyan zoo:

  • Jijamata Udyaanformerly called Raani Baag (meaning Queen’s Gardens) after the original British name Victoria Gardens, and now also known as Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan & Zoo, is a zoo and garden covering 50 acres located at Byculla, in the heart of Mumbai, India. It is the oldest public garden in Mumbai.
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