One of the UK’s ‘oldest penguins’ set to celebrate 30th birthday

Rosie the Humboldt penguin is turning 30

(East Riding of Yorkshire Council/PA Wire)

One of Britain’s oldest penguins is set to celebrate her 30th birthday next week at a zoo in East Yorkshire.

Rosie, a Humboldt penguin, first arrived in the UK in 1990 when she was re-homed at Sewerby Hall and Gardens – about 24 miles south-east of Scarborough.

Bred in captivity, Rosie has surpassed the life expectancy for her species in the wild by around 10 years and staff at the zoo say they are “genuinely excited” to see her reach the three-decade milestone on 20 April.

“We are genuinely excited that Rosie is about to reach her 30th birthday,” said John Pickering, head zookeeper at Sewerby Hall and Gardens.

“It’s obviously a real shame that we can’t share it with the public in the normal way, but we look forward to welcoming visitors back to the zoo, and to the daily penguin feeding times, as soon as we are able.

“I am particularly pleased that we are able to do our bit to preserve this amazing species, and we will most definitely continue to do so.”

Rosie was raised alongside companions Dion, Pingu and Penny. Sewerby Hall and Gardens said the penguins have played a vital role in the zoo’s breeding programme, with Rosie raising several chicks over the years.

And the zoo has recently welcomed a new Humboldt penguin, Sigsbee, who arrived a few weeks ago from Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire.

Humboldt penguins are classed as vulnerable to extinction due to changes in climate and overfishing of their preferred prey species.

They live mainly in the north of Chile and their life expectancy in the wild is between 15 and 20 years.

A number of zoos across the country have had to launch fundraising appeals in recent weeks to help cover costs during the coronavirus pandemic.

Last month, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), which runs the London and Whipsnade zoos, called for donations to help it pay bills during the lockdown having shut for only the second time in its history.

Launching the appeal, ZSL chief operating officer, Kathryn England, said that a dedicated team remained at the zoo to look after the animals.

She added: “[...] Along with the rest of the country, we watched as this unprecedented situation unfolded around us and began making detailed plans in anticipation of having to do the previously unthinkable – close ZSL London Zoo to the public.

“A core team of zookeepers, vets, security and grounds staff have stayed on-site and are making each day as normal as possible for our much-loved residents, many of which are endangered species and part of important global breeding programmes.”