Penguins are remarkably good at overcoming difficult conditions. On Saturday, 10th of October, Poznań New Zoo will use them as the starting point for a community event centred on accessibility, helping others and protecting a species facing growing environmental pressures.
The event, „Pingwiny bez barier” (Penguins without barriers), will take place at the New Zoo from 9.30 am, with activities designed to bring together conservation, accessibility and practical support for others.
One of the main themes will be the Humboldt penguin, a species that Poznań Zoo is preparing to welcome as part of a breeding programme.
A new home for Humboldt penguins
Poznań Zoo is working on a new enclosure and pool for Humboldt penguins at the site of the former common seal pool. The planned facilities are intended to meet the needs of the birds while allowing the zoo to participate in a coordinated breeding programme with other EAZA-accredited zoos.
Humboldt penguins are affected by changes taking place in the waters of the South Pacific. Warming seas and changes to the Humboldt Current can affect the availability of the fish they depend on, while the unregulated fishing industry is also one of the major challenges facing their populations.
The new penguin facilities therefore form part of a wider conservation effort, rather than simply providing another attraction for visitors.
Learning about penguins and accessibility
From 9.30 am, visitors will be able to take part in activities focused on penguin species and accessibility.
The Fundacja Otwartych Możliwości (Open Possibilities Foundation) will run a stand exploring the environment around us and the differences between penguin species. There will also be games and activities for visitors.
Participants will have the opportunity to learn Polish names of penguin species in Braille, linking the event's conservation theme with accessibility and inclusion.
A chance to donate blood at the zoo
There will also be a practical way for visitors to help others. A blood donation bus will be positioned by the entrance to the New Zoo between 9.30 am and 2 pm, giving eligible visitors the opportunity to donate blood during their visit.
According to the organisers, blood donors will receive a voucher that can be exchanged for a family ticket to the New Zoo for PLN 1.
While the penguins provide the theme, the activities extend beyond wildlife to include accessibility and support for people who need blood donations.
Penguins that help each other
The organisers have chosen the behaviour of emperor penguins as another symbol for the event.
During the Antarctic winter, emperor penguins gather closely together to conserve heat, regularly changing positions so that birds from the warmer centre can move towards the outside and others can take their place.
It is a simple example of cooperation in an extreme environment, and fits naturally with the wider idea behind Pingwiny bez barier: overcoming obstacles together and making room for others.
For Poznań residents, the event offers a relatively simple way to combine a visit to the New Zoo with learning about an endangered species, accessibility and blood donation.
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