Humboldt penguin dies at Byculla Zoo after digestive complications

Eight Humboldt penguins were brought to the zoo on July 26

Eight Humboldt penguins were brought to the zoo on July 26

It has been close to three months since Humboldt penguins from Seoul, South Korea, made the Byculla Zoo their home. However, one of them - a 1.5-year-old female - passed away on Sunday morning. According to a zoo official, preliminary reports suggest that the exotic bird died due to liver dysfunction and an intestine infection.

However, the exact cause of death will be known only after the post-mortem report comes in. The death comes just over a month after the Central Zoo Authority slapped the city's only zoo with a notice over crumbling enclosures, health of animals and overcrowding.

Questions over food quality
On October 18, the penguin had started showing symptoms of dullness, green stool and laboured breathing. The bird was then separated from the other seven for medical care. After this, a veterinary doctor examined stool samples and found the gram-negative bacteria, which causes intestinal infection. This has also raised questions over the quality of food provided to these penguins.

Read Story: They are in Aamchi Mumbai! Controversial Humboldt Penguins reach Byculla zoo

Others doing fine
Speaking to mid-day, zoo director Dr Sanjay Tripathi said, "Since the last five days, the penguin was not behaving normally, after which we took her for treatment. On Saturday, her condition worsened; seeing this the veterinary doctor changed her medication. However, she did not respond to the treatment and passed away on Sunday." When asked about the health of other penguins, Tripathi said, "Others are doing fine and there is no problem at all."

Controversial decision
The decision to bring the penguins to the zoo has been controversial from the start and the death of the female penguin has once again raised doubts over the zoo's capacity to safeguard the animals. Activists had slammed the civic body for bringing the Humboldt penguins to the city.

Mumbai's weather is not ideal for Humboldt penguins, who are used to living in temperatures ranging from 4 to 18 degrees Celsius. However, despite the zoo fitting the enclosures with back-up generators to ensure uninterrupted power, the penguins were living in temperatures between 12 to 26 degrees Celsius.

Slap on wrist from CZA
mid-day had reported about the zoo getting a notice from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) for various reasons, one being the poor condition of the enclosures the animals are in. The Humboldt penguins are, however, being kept in a separate enclosure until the 1,000 sq ft. exhibit is ready.

Rs 2.5cr
Cost at which the Humboldt penguins were bought