THE new owners of Newquay Zoo have completed the first improvement since taking over the popular attraction.

Dutch leisure group Libéma has reopened the Penguin Pool with a newly-built covered viewing area and seating space.

The opening coincides with the start of the colony’s annual breeding season. Three chicks hatched at the zoo last year, and keepers are already monitoring nesting activity as pairs return to their nest sites.

Native to the coasts of Peru and Chile, Humboldt penguins are classified as vulnerable in the wild due to threats from overfishing, pollution and climate change.

The 15-strong colony at Newquay forms part of a co-ordinated international breeding programme supporting the long-term future of the species.

For local families and returning visitors, the Penguin Pool now offers both a seasonal highlight and a first glimpse of the wider transformation underway at Newquay Zoo as it moves into its next chapter

The development was funded by a generous legacy donation made while the zoo operated as a charity under Wild Planet Trust.

Further enhancements are planned as part of Libéma’s wider investment programme, including new play areas and a walk-through lemur experience. Longer term, the zoo has also teased more ambitious plans, including the introduction of giraffes to the Savannah.

Dan Trevelyan, team leader of birds, said: “Spring is always a busy time for the colony. After breeding two chicks last year, we’re hopeful for another strong season.

“The new covered space means visitors can spend more time watching these nesting behaviours unfold and possibly get a glimpse of the eggs when they arrive.”

“This project represents an important milestone for us. It reflects our passion for conservation and education, and it’s also one of the first visible signs of the wider transformation now underway across the site. There’s a lot more like this to come, and that’s exciting.”