On World Penguin Day, Paradise Wildlife Park needs your help to name their endangered African penguin chick.

World Penguin Day 2022 today – April 25 – coincides with the annual northern migration of Antarctic penguins.

Currently, as recognised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are a total of 18 species of penguins, with 13 of these species either listed as threatened or endangered.

Conservation zoo Paradise Wildlife Park in Herts is currently home to a colony of 17 African penguins, which are listed by the IUCN as endangered.

The African penguins at the wildlife park in White Stubbs Lane, Broxbourne, are part of a successful breeding programme, which over the years has brought many success stories.

As penguins are often lifetime monogamous partners, they have been extremely fortunate with strong colony couples.

Their newest addition was born on December 20, 2021, to parents Albert and Akiki.

The cute chick has continued to grow strong and healthy since birth under the careful watchful eye of its parents and the bird-keeping team at Paradise.

"There is only one thing left to do to ensure they become a full member of our penguin colony and this is to decide on a name," said a PWP spokesperson.

The zookeepers have chosen three possibilities but they need your help to decide which one would suit best.

Choose from the names:

  • Kufara – Meaning 'Happiness'
  • Marli – Meaning 'Queen of the sea and beauty'
  • Kamali – Meaning 'Spirit guide and protector'

Head over to Paradise Wildlife Park's social pages to help them choose one.

Paradise Wildlife Park supports and aids the conservation of endangered African penguins in the wild through the work of SANCCOB.

The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds is a registered non-profit organisation, whose primary objective is to reverse the decline of seabird populations through the rescue, rehabilitation and release of ill, injured, abandoned and oiled seabirds.