Heartbreak at Paradise Park: First Flamingo Egg in Five Years Was Not Fertile

Paradise Park faced disappointment today as staff discovered that the first flamingo egg to be laid in five years was not fertile. The discovery was made this morning when the egg’s shell broke after 28 days of incubation. Penelope, the female flamingo who laid the egg, was seen standing over her nest and examining the cracked egg.

Hopeful Beginnings Dashed

Becky Waite, one of the dedicated keepers at Paradise Park, explained the rarity and challenges of flamingo egg-laying. “We don’t often get eggs laid, and when they do, we are not able to tell if the egg is fertile as the shells are very thick, so we go on hope and faith that all will turn out okay,” she said.

The keepers at Paradise Park are vigilant in monitoring the nests. If the parents abandon the nest, the staff are prepared to step in and place the egg in an incubator, a procedure successfully carried out by Becky in 2019 with a flamingo named Derek. Unfortunately, this was not possible with Penelope’s egg.

A Glimmer of Hope

Despite this setback, there is still hope for flamingo enthusiasts. A second egg has been laid in another nest and is expected to hatch at the beginning of August. The staff at Paradise Park remain hopeful that this egg will be successful. Additionally, there is always a chance that another egg might be laid in the coming weeks.

For those interested in following the flamingo’s journey, Paradise Park offers a live webcam of the flamingo lagoon on their website, providing a unique opportunity to witness the daily lives of these captivating birds.

Watch the live webcam here: Flamingo Lagoon Webcam.