Many people ask how our penguins cope with the extreme heat of summer. The answer is quite well, especially since the African penguins we have at the zoo are native to Africa. That said, they do appreciate the refreshment we provide for them.
Contrary to popular belief, penguins are not exclusively polar animals. Of the roughly 20 species, some live in Antarctica, but others are found in temperate and even tropical zones, though all are in the Southern Hemisphere. One species, for example, is native to the Galápagos Islands, which lie along the Equator.
At our Zoo, the penguins are represented by the African penguin, which, as you might expect, does not live in deserts or savannas but along the coastline of Southern Africa. This means that the Hungarian summer, even during heatwaves, doesn’t pose too much of a challenge for them.
Of course, even tropical and subtropical animals don’t spend all their time in direct sunlight, so we design their enclosures with plenty of shade. For the penguins, we’ve also added shade sails above the enclosure. And, of course, there is a pool in the enclosure, not so much to protect them from the heat but because penguins need to swim regardless of temperature due to their lifestyle. Swimming in the pool naturally refreshes them during warmer weather.
In addition to these features, we’ve also installed a misting gate for our penguins. Whenever they feel like it, they can stand under the mist, and they clearly enjoy the cooling water spray.
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