After previous success Yiannis angeli will be back on Saturday the 06.01.2018 with another Reptile interaction.
This is a great opportunity to learn more about our scaly friends and maybe even over come some fears.
Xylomantrou Street Agiou Georgiou Peyia Paphos Cyprus, 8560
After previous success Yiannis angeli will be back on Saturday the 06.01.2018 with another Reptile interaction.
This is a great opportunity to learn more about our scaly friends and maybe even over come some fears.
This week’s species is called the Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) also known as the Peruvian Penguin. The Humboldt Penguin was named after the Humboldt Current which the species is known to swim. The current itself was named after the explorer Alexander Von Humboldt. This species of Penguin originates from Chile and Peru but can be found in other coastal areas of South America. Humboldt Penguins cans survive in higher temperatures due to their body’s natural cooling system, the featherless skin around their eyes and the base of its bill helps the penguin’s body to expel heat. Humboldt penguins can reach the speed of 20 to 30 km/h while swimming, and can hold their breath for up to 2 minutes. The Humboldt Penguin is a carnivore, its diet is mainly built on Krill and Small Crustaceans but they have also been known to hunt larger marine animals such as squid and other species of fish. Over the past few years the Humboldt Penguins population has been decreasing drastically with human interference being the main cause (for example; habitat loss, oil spills and hunting).
Here at Pafos Zoo we are home to 4 Humboldt Penguins; Frank, Flip, Flop and Clobii. So next time you come to Pafos Zoo don’t forget to check out our Penguin house!
A big thank you to everybody that attended our reptile interaction yesterday, we hope that you enjoyed it.
If you missed it like and follow our Facebook page for upcoming events in the near future!
Good afternoon everyone!
We would like to thank everyone who came along on Sunday to support Europa Donna and for your kind donations to this charity. Also a big thank you to everyone who took part in our Follow the Keeper and enrichment activies.
If you missed Sundays activities and wish to stay updated on upcoming events please like and follow our Facebook page!👍
This week’s species is the Aldabra Giant Tortoise (Geochelone gigantea).
This species can be found in the grassy plains and swamps of the island of Aldabra Atoll which is part of the Seychelles. The Aldabra Giant Tortoise is one of the largest species of tortoise with the size of 90cm to 120cm and the weight of 150kg to 250kg. This species eats a large range of vegetation like leaves, flowers and fruits. The Aldabra Giant Tortoise is also believed to have one of the longest life spans with one individual named Adwaita living for as long as 256 years (1750 to 22nd March 2006).
The Aldabra Giant Tortoise is the only Giant Tortoise species from the Indian Ocean that is still alive today, the other species became extinct due to human settlers hunting them in the 1700 and 1800’s. However, the biggest threat towards the Giant Tortoise species was due to the introduction of domestic animals, like goats to their habitat causing the species to compete for their food which they had never had to do in the past and also the hatchlings became prey to predatory animals such as domestic cats. UNESCO has made the Aldabra Atoll a world heritage site protecting the islands from human influence giving the Aldabra Giant Tortoise and other species a chance to thrive.
Here at Pafos Zoo we are home to a pair of Aldabra Giant Tortosies! So Come down and visit this amazing historical species! 🐢
Enrichment.
At the zoo our keepers and curator work hard trying to find new ways to stimulate and encourage natural behavior in all our animals.
Here is an example of a feeding technique we use with the large cats to promote wild behavior and to prevent obesity and muscle dysfunction.
It is essential to keep animals to the highest standards and always try to bring some of their natural feelings/habit into the captive environment, this enables the animals to feel and experience some of the feelings that where going to be felt if the animals lived on the wild.
Feeding role: The animals need to search for their food and perform typical wild behaviours to obtain it as it would have in the wild. The reasons are clear, keep the animals busy as in the wild promote their natural behaviours and also give them a chance for certain locomotive function to be performed so as to exercise different muscle groups found on the body. This helps the animal keep a fit body condition and avoid obesity and muscle dysfunction.
Olfactory role/using smell: It promotes the animal to use and strengthen the sense of smell as in the wild, by hiding food or creating odor paths then the animal has to use its sense of smell as it would have to in the wild either for food search or for interaction with its surrounding environment.
Promoting wild behavior will help the animals to also breed more easily as their time being spent in captivity feels more like nature rather than been kept in an enclosure with unlimited food and no stimulation.
Senator George Perdikis, President of the Cyprus Green Party attended the meeting of the Eco Steps Club before the summer holiday.
Senator George Perdikis, Mr. Christos Christoforou and Biology Professor Irina Isac had the pleasure of offering the certificates for the Members of the Eco Steps Club.
The Zoo has had to remain closed until at least the 31st December 2020 as per governments covid-19 guidelines.