In a heart-warming display of friendship, a penguin at Birdworld in Farnham, Surrey has become a guide for a partially-sighted African penguin named Squid. Squid developed cataracts as a chick, but has learned to follow her friend Penguin for guidance during feeding time. According to Polly Bramham from Birdworld, the two birds have been friends since they were young and while they are not yet mature, penguins tend to pair for life and they may become a pair themselves someday.
The African penguin population has declined by over 95% since pre-industrial times, thus resulting in their classification as an endangered species. The number of African penguins has continued to decline, with the current population estimated at just 13% of what it was in the 1900s. As a result, Birdworld and other animal facilities around the world play a crucial role in educating people about the plight of the African penguin. In recent years, Birdworld has successfully bred and reared a number of these penguins, and the sight of small penguin chicks at the park has become a popular attraction.
The park staff members have also been instrumental in offering care to keepers and animals affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Birdworld’s acclaimed conservation work in the UK and overseas has been widely recognised – this year, it was a finalist for the BIAZA awards through which it has been acknowledged for significant animal conservation efforts.
Birdworld continues to provide an essential service by offering the opportunity for visitors to observe and learn about some of the most endangered species in the world firsthand. At the same time, their conservation work and efforts to protect vulnerable animals from diseases such as Covid-19 have earned them international recognition
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