Female rockhopper penguin washed ashore in Australia sent to S'pore to join fellow male penguin in Bird Paradise

Singapore's Bird Paradise recently saw several new additions to its penguin family, just in time for Christmas.

One rockhopper penguin, hailing from Perth Zoo in Australia, as well as two gentoo penguin chicks that have just hatched, will be joining the park's Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove.

Pascale the rockhopper

Pascale is a one-year-old female northern rockhopper penguin.

She looks a tad scruffy right now as she is moulting.

Northern rockhopper penguins, an endangered species, typically inhabit the sub-Antarctic range in the southern Indian and Atlantic oceans.

But Pascale was found washed ashore on a beach in Western Australia in February earlier this year.

Pascale was then sent to Perth Zoo, where she was rehabilitated and nursed back to health.

It was decided that she would be sent here as Bird Paradise's specialised cold saltwater penguin habitat is "well-suited to meet the long-term needs of this species under human care".

She arrived in Singapore on Nov. 28, and will be joining Bird Paradise's only other rockhopper penguin, a five-year-old male called Pierre.

Similarly, Pierre was a rescue which was rehabilitated at Perth Zoo.

It was assessed that if both Pierre and Pascale were released back into the wild, their chances of survival would be slim.

Currently, Pascale is undergoing a two-week isolation period for close monitoring and will make her debut in the penguin habitat in the second week of December.

Mandai Wildlife Group shared in a press release that it hopes that the two can form a pair bond.

Two chicks

Bird Paradise's penguin habitat currently holds over 30 penguins from four species — gentoo, humboldt, king, and northern rockhopper penguins.

On Nov. 25 and 27, the park welcomed two gentoo penguin chicks.

However, keepers noticed that the second chick was being underfed, as the parents were struggling "to meet the demands of feeding two chicks".

As such, the second chick was taken under the wing of the penguin care team, who have been hand raising it.

Anaïs Tritto, Assistant Vice President of Mandai Wildlife Group, explained that the penguin parents are first-time parents:

"Our priority is always to allow the parents to care for their chicks, intervening only when absolutely necessary. In this instance, intervention was required. As first-time parents, Riki and Peach may not have the experience to successfully raise two chicks simultaneously."

In the wild, sometimes only one chick survives, Tritto said.

Visitors can still spot the first chick in the penguin habitat, and the second chick during feeding times.

Top photo from Mandai Wildlife Group