Bournemouth Oceanarium Bournemouth Oceanarium

Penguin extension ! :
Penguins set to create a splash in £1.5 million expansion | Oceanarium Bournemouth ( FB )

 

A pair of 3 year old Loggerhead Turtles have arrived from Marineland in Nice

Meet our beautiful new baby loggerhead turtles! | Oceanarium Bournemouth

 

Nisha these arrived last July.

 

Penguins. I wonder why Oceanarium Bournemouth would want penguins for

 

Understand they hope to get African penguins,and a walk through aviary with Inca Terns.

 

African Penguins ? why would they want African Penguins for

 

Because people like seeing penguins?

Much as I'd like to see Chinstrap, Adelie or even Emperor in a climate controlled facility, that would cost a LOT of money. In Bournemouth King, Gentoo or Rockhopper would probably need to be kept indoors as well. All on that list bar Gentoo would probably be hard-ish to source.

By contrast, African or Humboldt's are self-sustaining in captivity.African are probably a better bet to cope with south coast summers.

Not hugely exciting news as far as I'm concerned, but pretty unsurprising also, I'd have said.

 

I wish Chester would do something similar with their penguin enclosure.

 

I'd like to see Steamer Ducks, although from what I've read they're a risk with anything smaller.

 

Unlike several other, similarly-sized aquaria in the UK creating temperature-controlled 'ice-box' enclosures for small groups of gentoo penguins, the design here is for an outdoor exhibit, and therefore only really suitable for a couple of available species: African or Humboldts. I'm not convinced small seaside aquaria really have the space for any penguin species, but both African and Humboldt penguins survive and breed in very small enclosures, and I guess always look sufficiently comical for the public to never really have concerns seeing them in this way. However, the enclosure here may be much larger than the designs suggest, so I reserve judgement until it's completed. Also, seeing penguins in a tiny enclosure and pool amongst the greenery of a stately home I think elicits less concern than when they're seen out the back of an aquarium building on a busy seafront.

 

The Penguins are due to be onshow from 25th July. The group is currently in quarantine (offshow) at Blackpool
Penguins to make a splash at Oceanarium next week (From Bournemouth Echo)

 

The aquarium's resident male, Green Sea Turtle (Friday) has moved to the National Marine Aquarium this week. The Loggerhead Turtles mentioned up-thread will replace him in the Great Barrier Reef tank

 

Nisha, any idea whether the other green turtle is still there ?
(One was called Friday as you mention, and the other was called Crusoe I believe.)

 

Well, the Oceanarium is open for business and seems to have survived the Pandemic. I visited for the first time on the 18th May, no need to pre book, and had an enjoyable walk round.

Not the best public aquarium I have visited but still enjoyable.

Highlight was the Inca Terns in with the Penguins and the lowlight was the turtle exhibit which is tucked away at the base of a waterfall and very difficult to see into.