Breeding the Black‐footed penguin Spheniscus demersus: at London Zoo

Published source details Clark M., Ferguson A., Maskell A. & Smith F. (1994) Breeding the Black‐footed penguin Spheniscus demersus: at London Zoo. International Zoo Yearbook, 33, 19-23.
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Summary

Use captive breeding to increase or maintain populations of seabirds

A study in 1967–1993 in London, UK (Clark et al. 1994) reported that a captive, breeding population of black-footed penguins Spheniscus demersus was maintained for at least 26 years. The colony was founded with wild birds in 1967. There are intermittent breeding records before 1983. More detailed records were kept between 1983 and 1993: 121 eggs were laid, 72 (60%) of which hatched. Fifty chicks (69%) were successfully reared to fledging. Twenty-one second-generation chicks (offspring of two hand-reared parents) have been reared. Chicks were hand-reared between 1–3 days and 12–14 weeks old (see ‘Artificially incubate and hand-rear birds in captivity’). Adult birds were housed in an 11 x 36 m pool with walkways and nest boxes. They were hand fed with sprats Sprattus sprattus and herring Clupea harengus.

Artificially incubate and hand-rear seabirds in captivity

A replicated, site comparison study in 1983–1993 at London Zoo, UK (Clark et al. 1994) reported a 69% fledging rate for hand-reared black-footed penguins Spheniscus demersus. Of 72 chicks taken from captive parents, 50 (69%) were successfully reared to fledging. This compared to a 30% fledging rate previously reported for wild chicks in South Africa. Chicks were hand-reared between 1–3 days and 12–14 weeks old. They were held in rubber-lined containers, initially at 34.5–35.5°C but gradually lowered to room temperature over three weeks. Initial feeding was with liquidized herring Clupea harengus mixture, gradually switching to solid food with a saline drink from 10–14 days old.