Mumbai finally welcomes 8 Humboldt penguins from South Korea

Mumbaikars will get to see them only by November as the birds need to acclimatise. The much-awaited Humboldt penguins have finally finally arrived at the Byculla Zoo. However, Mumbaikars will have to wait for a while to admire the birds. They would be available for public viewing only by November.

According to civic officials, eight penguins, three males and five females, have arrived at Byculla zoo from Coex Aquarium in Seoul, South Korea. “It will take two to three months for them to acclimatise to Mumbai’s climate. For this, they will be kept in an isolated cell under observation. They will then be shifted to the Penguin Exhibition Centre, where the Mumbaikars can see them,” said Dr Sanjay Tripathi, director of Byculla zoo.

An entirely air-conditioned exhibition centre, admeasuring 1,700 square feet, has been specially created on the ground floor of the new building of the zoo to accommodate these penguins. The centre has been built by taking into consideration their biological needs and behavioural patterns. Its temperature has been set at 16 to 18 degree Celsius.

“The newly arrived penguins are about one to three years old. They are weigh around 1 to 2.5 kg and their weight is expected to reach 4-6 kg after they are fully-grown. Their height, which is 12.15 cm now, will also increase to 65-70 cm,” said a civic official.

They will daily be fed about one kg fish that will consist of Mackerel (Bangda) and Morshi fish. A special team of veterinary doctors and maintenance staff would be kept for their well-being, said an official.