Ep 15. Penguin House Hunters

Episode 15 of The Secret Life Of The Zoo season 4 is titled Penguin House Hunters. In this episode, we get an inside look at the lives of the Humboldt penguins at Chester Zoo in England.

The episode begins with the arrival of a new female penguin named Wanda from another zoo. The keepers hope that she will form a bond with one of the male penguins and help increase their population. However, things don't go as planned as the males seem to be uninterested in Wanda.

Meanwhile, the keepers notice that two of the male penguins, Pablo and Chico, seem to be fighting over the same nest site. In the wild, male penguins build nests to impress females and attract mates. The keepers decide to move Pablo to a different enclosure temporarily to diffuse the situation.

As the breeding season begins, the penguins start to pair up and build nests. The keepers help by providing materials such as pebbles, twigs, and feathers. However, there seems to be a shortage of suitable nest sites, and the penguins start to compete for the best spots.

The keepers decide to build a new breeding colony to alleviate the crowding in the existing enclosures. They create a new area called Penguin Island, which includes several pools and nest boxes. The penguins are hesitant at first to explore the new space, but eventually, they start to venture out and check it out.

As the season progresses, the keepers start to see signs of successful breeding. Several pairs have laid eggs, and they are hopeful for some new additions to the penguin family. However, not all is well as one of the eggs gets stolen by a seagull. The keepers are devastated, but they try to focus on the positive and hope that the other eggs will hatch successfully.

In addition to the penguins, the episode also showcases other animals at the zoo, including an Asian elephant named Thong Dee and a pair of red pandas named Nima and Gawa. Thong Dee is pregnant and due to give birth soon, and the keepers are on high alert to make sure everything goes smoothly. Nima and Gawa are being introduced to each other for breeding, but they seem to be more interested in each other's bamboo than each other.

Overall, Penguin House Hunters provides an intimate look at the lives of these fascinating creatures and the hard work of their dedicated keepers. The episode is both educational and entertaining, and it will leave viewers with a newfound appreciation for these charming birds.