Newborn penguins at Mumbai's Byculla zoo attract hordes of visitors

The Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo of Mumbai also known as the Byculla Zoo, has been surrounded by quite a buzz of late. The zoo has been witnessing a significant influx of visitors due to multiple reasons, but one of the main causes for it is the birth of three new Humboldt penguins.

Moreover, by and large, the public is drawn towards parks and recreational spots with the onset of the winter season and year-end celebrations. The birth of three penguins is a rarity that Mumbaikars are flocking to see.

Reportedly, the total count of Humboldt penguins at the zoo now stands at 12, after the birth of three new penguins. As per the zoo authorities, two chicks named 'Flash' (male) and Alexa (female) were born to a single pair on April 2 and August 9, 2022, respectively.

Another pair of breeding penguins at the zoo laid a single egg and a chick 'Bingo' (male) was hatched on April 26, 2022.

Visitors including adults and children have been stopping by the zoo for witnessing these newborn penguins.

With the spike in the footfall of visitors, most of the people were previously forced to stand in long queues for hours. Observing the need for a better ticketing service system the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now started an online ticket-booking facility for the Byculla zoo.

The online service was started on November 19 during the 160-year anniversary of Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo. This will help in minimizing disruption of the visitors during rush hours.

Furthermore, QR codes have been displayed at different points of the area to inform the public for the same. Those willing to visit the zoo can book tickets here.