Help name our new Chilean flamingos
PUBLISHED 29/11/2024
Drusillas are tickled pink to welcome 10 new Chilean flamingos to the Zoo - and we need your help to name them!
The striking ‘flock-stars’ arrived from Longleat Animal Park a few weeks ago, and keepers say they are settling in well and already bonding with the existing flock.
Excitingly, the new cohort includes 4 adorable flamingo chicks, who hatched earlier in the year. It’s hoped that the new birds will give our existing flamingo group a boost and encourage natural breeding behaviours. Something that’s very important for Chilean flamingos because they are classed as ‘near threatened’ by the IUCN red list.
Visitors to the Park will easily spot the sweet fluffy-butted babies, because they haven’t yet developed the famous pink plumage these beautiful birds are renowned for. Instead, they are covered in fluffy, grey and white feathers, which will remain until the flamingos are 2-3 years old, when the iconic pink feathers will have finished growing through.
Zoo Manager, Mark Kenward, spoke about the new arrivals: “Welcoming 10 new Chilean flamingos has allowed us to achieve a more balanced ratio of male and female birds at Drusillas. This is exciting because it enhances our potential to successfully breed this stunning species, as well as increasing the size of our flock to 20 individuals, which greatly benefits their overall welfare.”
He continued: “Flamingos are naturally social birds that thrive in large flocks in the wild, so expanding our flock is a significant step in providing them with a more natural and enriching environment. This is especially important for a species that has long been iconic here at Drusillas.”
“We now have a healthy mix of age groups within our flock, ranging from the 4 chicks, to 42-year-old Anna - the oldest resident in the Zoo! These young flamingos will benefit from the guidance and care of the older, more experienced birds, helping to ensure their successful integration into the flock.”
Coming up with 10 names is a tall order, so the Zoo are asking for the public’s help to name the new arrivals. Flamingo fans with ideas on what to call the newbies can let the Zoo know via Drusillas’ Facebook and Instagram pages. Suggested themes include famous characters, types of food and drink, or pink things - keepers can’t wait to hear what the public comes up with!
Native to the high mountain lakes in Chile, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina, Chilean flamingos live in large flocks of several thousand birds. There are fewer than 200,000 of this type of flamingo left in the wild, and their population is declining, putting them at risk of becoming a threatened species in the near future. Largely due to issues such as habitat loss and degradation caused by water diversion and mining, unregulated hunting, and egg collection.
Drusillas hopes that expanding their flock will encourage the flamingos to breed and contribute to worldwide efforts to protect the species for generations to come. Mark said: “With the continued dedication and expertise of our team of keepers, we are optimistic that, with a bit of luck, we will soon hear the chirps of flamingo chicks in the years to come!”
