As penguin numbers rise in Byculla Zoo, BMC to expand their enclosure

The enclosure is fully air conditioned and replicate a freezing natural habitat, which is required for the survival of the birds. The new facility will be able to augment 15 additional birds, taking the overall capacity of penguins to 40. The expansion will include augmenting the floor size by 800 square feet. Earlier this year, the administration had commenced constructing a tunnel aquarium inside Byculla Zoo. The cost of this project has been pegged at Rs 62 crore and Tripathi said that the expansion of the penguin enclosure will be conducted as per this project at a cost of Rs 1 crore.

“For the expansion project, the penguin enclosure will have to be kept shut for a few months. Therefore, our plan is to execute the work during monsoon 2026, considering that is the time when the footfall is comparatively less in the zoo,” Tripathi said.

Amid the increasing population of penguins in the zoo, the authorities had earlier proposed penguins for exchange programmes across multiple zoos in the country in a bid to procure other animals. However, the penguins have found no takers owing to their high costs of maintenance. In March this year, three new penguin chicks were born, which were later introduced in the viewing enclosure a month later.