Egg draws crowds to zoo, but penguins keep it under wraps

MUMBAI: There has been unusual excitement at the city zoo ever since one of Humboldt penguins there laid an egg. Zoo keepers said visitors enquire about the yet-to-hatch "baby penguin" at the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan va Pranisangrahalaya, popularly known as the Byculla zoo.
Officials said many also ask about the parents. As a result, security guards around the penguin exhibit have learnt to identify Mr Molt and Flipper, the penguin couple whose egg it is.
Flipper was seen laying the egg on July 5. It may take 40 days for it to hatch. While Mr Molt is the youngest of the lot, Flipper at five years is the oldest. Mr Molt turns three years old on Sunday.
One of the zoo officials said visitors are not always able to see the couple. Ever since the egg was laid, either Mr Molt or Flipper is in the nesting area, incubating the egg. "They take turns to incubate and at that time are in the nesting area they have created," said an official.
The two penguins are known to be very protective about the egg and do not let even the vets taking care of them touch it.
"They get very aggressive and therefore we have not been able to check on the egg at all. We are allowing them to incubate it and do not disturb them in their nesting area. They come out for their feeds regularly and we then keep a check upon them," said a vet.
Since public viewing of the seven Humboldts was allowed, zoo revenues have kept rising. In 2016-17, revenue was around Rs 74 lakh while in the financial year 2017-18, it was Rs 4.37 crore from entry fees.
The sharp rise was attributed to a number of factors, but most of all to the draw of the seven flightless birds and the increase in the entry fees to Rs 50 per person - a family of four is charged Rs 100, though - from last August. Before that, it was Rs 5 for adults and Rs 2 for children.