Loro Parque celebrates today, April 25th, the World Penguin Day. The purpose of this activity is to raise the awareness about the worrying situation of these animals in nature. During the entire week, starting Monday and until next weekend, the park will be realizing educational and awareness activities, both in its facilities and through its social media channels.
Today is a date of special relevance, not only because it coincides with the migration of the Adelie penguins from Antarctica to the north, but also because according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), out of 18 species of penguins in existence, 10 are considered endangered to one degree or another. The threats that these charismatic animals are facing in the wild are quite diverse: decreased fish availability due to overfishing, climatic changes, seawater pollution or unsustainable tourism practices. All of these dangers are causing drastic diminishment of the penguin populations.
The Loro Par que’s exposition PlanetPenguin is home to five species of penguins: Humboldt, Papua penguin, King penguin, Northern Rockhopper and Chinstrap penguin. All of them are realizing, thereby, an important role of ambassadors of their counterparts in nature through raising awareness among the public about the harsh conditions that the animals must face in the wild.
Moreover, this year Loro Parque has decided to join the campaign of Sphenisco, an organization that advocates for the “Humboldt Penguins Protection” and that dedicates its efforts to drawing attention to the situation of this species in Peru and northern Chile, where its populations are becoming increasingly threatened. The Humboldt exhibition at Loro Parque recreates to every detail the rocky habitat of these animals and contributes, therefore, to educational activities aimed at giving the public an opportunity to learn more about the characteristics of the animals and the threats for their survival in their natural habitats. Such awareness activities, in their turn, contribute to the penguin conservation.
Presently, despite the fact that the number of penguin species that remain at risk is quite alarming, the experts maintain a positive prognosis for the future thanks to the continuous and growing efforts of the conservationists and enhancement of the protected marine territories that will help preserve the endangered populations. The role of wildlife conservation centers, such as Loro Parque, and organizations, such as Sphenisco, is fundamental in making this necessary change a reality.
