It's more than just festive cheer at Symbio Wildlife Park with the welcome addition of six little penguins just a few days before Christmas
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The six birds arrived in Helensburgh on the morning of December 20 and waddled into their new resort-style enclosure.
"[At first] they were a little bit timid, and they all kind of stuck together, but it only took a couple of hours and they were all super confident penguins," Symbio Wildlife Park bird keeper, Caroline Badart said.
"It was actually a little bit emotional to be honest. We've been waiting for the penguins for a long time."
Excited visitors meet the penguins
It's not just the staff who were eager for their arrival, three-and-a-half year old Lexi watched the penguins from her pram.
Austinmer woman Elizabeth McCoy regularly visits Symbio with Lexi and her two other grandchildren.
"We're so excited, we've been waiting for a long time, coming each week for the last few weeks."
"Lexi has brought [her doll] Ariel to see the penguins."
Four of the penguins arrived from Sea Life Sydney Aquarium and two arrived from North Sydney's Taronga Zoo Sydney.
Zookeeper Ms Badart said while there isn't a division between the two groups they've noticed "little friendship groups".
The group includes three males and three females, with four more penguins arriving in the new year.
"Our youngest one is [an] one-year-old. His name is Broughton. Ironically he's probably one of the biggest ones as well. Then our oldest one is actually 15," Ms Badart said.
The little penguins' life expectancy in captivity is around 15 to 20 years old, according to the bird keeper.
The penguins all have arrived with quirky names, thanks to Taronga and Seal Life's naming system.
"They have a different theme every year for the names, so one year the theme was cheese, one year the theme was chocolate," Ms Badart said.
The reason behind the themes is so zoo staff can keep track of how old the penguins are.
Three little penguin facts
from Symbio Zookeeper manager Julie Mendezona
- Little penguins are around 30cm tall and one-kilogram of body weight.
- They are the smallest species of penguins in the world and can only be found in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Their main preferred foods are fish, squid, and pilchards.
Whilst building the penguin enclosure many of the zookeepers were asked about whether the penguins would need snow or ice but little penguins are native to Australia.
"We do have a colony nearby, which is the Five Islands colony," Ms Badart said.
"We're hoping in the school holidays we're going to have keeper presentations [and] penguin talks."
The penguin's tropical enclosure includes a pool, sandbank, and shed with a viewing window.
The enclosure construction began in March 2023 with the assistance of the NSW Government's Tourism Product Development Fund.
Marlene Even
Journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. Previously a radio and podcast host at 2SER Radio.
Journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. Previously a radio and podcast host at 2SER Radio.
