Longleat Safari Park shuts penguin enclosure after ‘a large number’ of birds die from the tropical illness

A SAFARI park's penguin enclosure has been shut to visitors after several of the birds died from malaria.

Heatbroken staff are caring for the survivors after the outbreak at Longleat in Wiltshire.

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Its popular Penguin Island attraction has been home to dozens of the hand-reared Humboldts.

The Wiltshire park’s head of animal operations Darren Beasley said the birds contracted Avian Malaria from mosquitoes.

He added: "Despite the best efforts of our team and with expert advice from other collections around the country, we have still been unable to save a large amount of these incredible and popular aquatic birds.

“It's a very distressing time for everyone involved in their care.

“Our team of keepers are devastated."

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Whilst the disease does not affect humans, Penguin Island has been closed to allow staff time and space to care for the remaining birds.

Humboldt penguins are normally found on the coast of Peru and Chile and are officially listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

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