Perhaps you still remember how the penguins "came" to the Košice ZOO. At that time, our company significantly supported the construction of a breeding facility.

We officially welcomed the penguins at an event we organized on the occasion of the MDD on June 1, 2008. It was a big event, attended by a record number of more than 12,300 visitors. 16 years have passed since then.

The beginnings of breeding were very complicated, embarrassing and the breeders did not succeed.

"It wasn't until 2010 that we were pleased with the first cub, which was named Drobčo," says Patrik Pastorek, chief zoologist. Initial failures were replaced by successes, and the penguin breeders at the Košice Zoo became internationally recognized experts. Since 2018, the Košice Zoo has been leading the European rescue program for this species. By the end of 2023, we raised more than 55 cubs in our ZOO, which found their homes in other zoos in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Germany and France. These are gardens that either started with penguin breeding or expanded it. It is still true that ZOO Košice is the only garden in Slovakia that breeds one-banded penguins."

In 16 years, the breeding facility has undergone various modifications. Inside, they built mobile portable nests, repaired the pool's paint, installed frog barriers, and repaired a slope from which water and mud flowed straight into the breeding facility during storms. Patrik Pastorek said: "We would need to replace the roof, perhaps also the entire breeding equipment. We don't have the funds for that at the moment. We launched a public collection at least to replace the fencing of the breeding facility. The fencing is in a state of disrepair, does not look good and has not been replaced even once in 16 years. We collected 1,700 euros, which would not be enough for us. We are very happy that the U.S. Steel Košice Foundation supported our project with the amount of 10,000 euros."

The fencing must be aesthetic from the point of view of visitors and safe for the penguins. It will also include glazed parts and should be ready this year. We are very happy how the circle is closing nicely: the penguins came to the ZOO thanks to our support, now we will help with the reconstruction of the fencing of their breeding facility and that's not all. During the event Hutníci pre Košice, which will take place on June 22, our volunteers will work and improve the surroundings right near the breeding facility for penguins.