Image of the Day

201011171201_07567, a photo by RosieA100 on Flickr.

Teen Dream

happy Feet Rated Priceless Publicity Despite Costs

SARAH HARVEY AND MICHAEL FIELD

31/07/2011

HAPPY FEET: Expensive care for DoC.

 

At least $30,000 has been spent saving Happy Feet the penguin at a time when conservation budgets for safeguarding other wildlife are being slashed.

But the bird has provided priceless publicity for wildlife in general, says Forest and Bird.
Happy Feet, an emperor penguin from Antarctica, was found on a Kapiti Coast beach north of Wellington in June and, according to figures obtained through the Official Information Act, Wellington Zoo estimates it has cost in excess of $30,000 for numerous operations to remove sticks and sand from his stomach, as well as rehabilitating him for a return to the wild.

The Department of Conservation (DoC) has not released how much it spent on looking after the penguin while it was on the beach and then transported to Wellington.
The department is planning to return him to the sea in August from a boat off the Bluff coast.
Forest and Bird advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell said $30,0000 may seem like a lot of money when seen against the backdrop of DoC redundancies. The department announced in June it would be cutting 100 jobs across the organisation.

"The Department of Conservation has had its budget slashed by the government and it's laying off staff so having to spend significant sums of money looking after this one bird compared to other birds, and other things – you can ask those questions."
He said Wellington Zoo and DoC were "damned if they do and damned if they don't. They certainly would have been criticised if they hadn't helped."

Hackwell said while $30,000 was a lot to spend on the care of a wayward bird, the publicity around Happy Feet had heightened publicity around birds and wildlife in New Zealand in general.
"I wouldn't begrudge Happy Feet his $30,000 because it has created an opportunity to talk.
"It might make people think about the wildlife that's around us all the time rather than what turns up once a century."

Happy Feet is the first known emperor penguin to swim the more than 3000km to New Zealand from Antarctica in 44 years.
"It's a neat animal and it is pretty exciting that it turned up here and people were able to do something about it. People get really excited about a bird way out of place and naturally they are sympathetic and want to do something to help," Hackwell said.

For Wellington Zoo, any cost will likely be offset by the crowds the penguin has been pulling in. Visitor numbers have increased by about 50 per cent compared to the same time last year.

- Sunday Star Times

Source 

A Penguin Graduation Ceremony? Sure, Why Not?

Five SF Zoo Penguin Chicks To Graduate From Fish School Today

by Bay City News

July 30, 2011 5:38 AM

Five penguin chicks have graduated from "fish school" and are returning to the San Francisco Zoo's Penguin Island this morning for a graduation march--or waddle.
The Magellanic penguins were hatched on Penguin Island in mid-May. They were removed from the exhibition area when they were about five-weeks old to attend "fish school" at the Avian Conservation Center, zoo officials said.
While at the school, the one female and four male chicks learned to swim and were hand-fed fish by animal-keepers to help them acclimate to people.
The graduates are returning to their birthplace this morning to rejoin the zoo's other penguins, bringing the total number up to 49 -- the largest group of Magellanic penguins in North America, according to the zoo.
Zoo members are invited to watch the chicks as they waddle around the island and reunite with the other penguins this morning at 10 a.m.
Shortly before the graduation ceremony, zoo officials will hold a naming contest for zoo members. Participants will be asked to submit name suggestions for the female chick.
The winner will go on Penguin Island along with zookeepers.

Erika Heidecker, Bay City News

Source 

Happy Feet Update

Penguin passes physical with flying colours

Thursday July 28, 2011 Source: ONE News

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  Happy Feet has tests at Wellington Zoo. - Source: ONE News

• Watch Video

  • Penguin passes physical with flying colours (1:42)

The emperor penguin nicknamed Happy Feet has cleared another hurdle in the bid to return him to Antarctica.
Following his first salt-water swim this week, the penguin passed his latest physical with flying colours.
Today's check-up at Wellington Zoo included x-rays, blood tests and having a tracking device inserted under his skin.
Happy Feet was anaesthetised for the procedure and vets said he had made a remarkable weight gain during his recovery from his recent surgery.
Clusters of Happy Feet's adoring fans watched through the glass walls of the clinic.
Well-wisher Irene Twist, who remembered seeing emperor penguins at Wellington Zoo 85 years ago, got a hands-on encounter with the penguin.
"You could see the feathers you know, and as you get in it's sort of softer, it's quite deep," said Twist, after being allowed to stroke the slumbering penguin.
Another unusual visitor for Happy Feet was a special effects wizard from Weta Workshop, taking the opportunity to cast a mould of the penguin's foot for future texture reference should they ever need it.
The plan is to return Happy Feet to the sub-Antarctic region towards the end of August.

Source

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Happy Feet pulls crowds

30/07/2011

KENT BLECHYNDEN/Dominion Post

STAR ATTRACTION: Visitors can't always see Happy Feet at the zoo as he is undergoing treatment and rehab.

Celebrity penguin Happy Feet has been pulling in the crowds at Wellington Zoo with visitor numbers up by nearly half.
The emperor penguin gained worldwide fame after he was discovered on Peka Peka Beach five weeks ago.
After eating sand and sticks he was operated on and is now being kept in a 2 degrees Celsius air-conditioned room full of party ice at the zoo's hospital.
"We had a big day yesterday with around 1600 people coming through," Wellington Zoo spokeswoman Kate Baker said.
Usual visitor numbers for the same period were about 1100.
"I think that boost could be attributed to him."
Yesterday was the biggest day of the busy school holiday period and the first day Happy Feet could be seen by the public.
"We've made it clear throughout that we can't promise people they'll see Happy Feet. He's here for treatment and rehab. But yesterday he had some procedures done so people were able to see him."
The Conservation Department is planning to return him to the sea next month from a boat off the Bluff coast. Happy Feet is the first known emperor penguin to swim the more than 3000 kilometres to New Zealand from Antarctica in 44 years.
- The Dominion Post

Source 

Let's Do Little Penguins

Little penguins in roll call for banded brothers

• Katherine Danks
• From: The Daily Telegraph
• July 29, 2011

Banded for life: Taronga Zoo little penguins, have been name banded Source: Supplied

WITH brightly-coloured bands tied to their legs, these endangered little penguins are preparing for their daily roll call. 

They are among 41 endangered little penguins involved in a successful breeding program at Taronga Zoo.
Little penguins are the smallest species of penguin, characterised by dark blue feathers on their backs, and are usually found on the coastlines of Australia and New Zealand.
Zoo staff use the coloured bands to identify individual penguins and keep track of their movements.
The penguin's name is marked off a list during breakfast each morning.
Aston - wearing the red and blue bands - was born at Taronga two years ago and is among the program's new generation.

Some come from a small colony in Manly, whose existence is threatened by loss of habitat and local dogs.
Zoo keeper Jose Altuna said the colony was preparing for another breeding season, which starts from the age of two.
"There is a lot of information that has to be recorded for successful offspring," he said.
From next month, males will begin making their burrows with nest materials provided by zoo staff before females move in and choose a mate.

Source

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Penguins take on Rocks Rd traffic

30/07/2011

Nelson woman Greta Baldwin is concerned for little blue penguins venturing on to Rocks Rd in the path of traffic.
She and her partner Stewart Knapman were driving along the waterfront at 7.20pm when they saw a man on his hands and knees by a car, and stopped, worried that he was hurt.
It turned out that he was trying to stop two penguins from crossing the road.
The penguins were under a car parked by Relish restaurant and the couple joined the effort to coax the birds back to sea.
Ms Baldwin manage to pick them up and take them down the ramp by the yacht club and put them in the water. She last saw them swimming away.
"I was concerned about their welfare – they would have been flattened if they crossed the road."
She tried calling various agencies to seek advice about the penguins and said the public needed to know they could call the Department of Conservation in an emergency on 0800 362 468.
A department spokesperson said the number could be used when wildlife was in danger.
Nelson City Council community projects manager Andrew Petheram confirmed there were penguin nesting boxes at the platform near Guytons and more would be incorporated into area being worked on by the yacht club. Penguins also nested under the club.
Forest and Bird regional field officer Debs Martin said the penguins came ashore every night. Its branch had not been involved in providing nesting boxes, because the jury was still out on whether it was a good place to encourage them.
- Nelson

Source 

Edinburgh Zoo Official Swims with the Penguins

27 July 2011

An Edinburgh Zoo official has been training for the London Triathlon in the attraction's penguin pool in a bid to get fit for the event.

Rob Thomas, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's conservation and research manager, has been donning a wetsuit to swim with the penguins.
He has been practicing for the 1,500 metre swim as part of the Olympic sized triathlon ahead of Saturday's event.
Mr Thomas said the penguins had been "curious" about their guest.
He has also been training for the running and cycling part of the race on Corstorphine Hill where the zoo is based.
Mr Thomas said: "Corstorphine Hill has proven to be the perfect location for training for all three disciplines.
"As well as running and cycling around the area, taking a dip in the zoo's penguin pool which is the largest outdoor penguin pool in Europe, was just the perfect solution.
"As well as excellent training for me in outdoor water, my swims have also provided fantastic enrichment for our extremely curious and friendly penguins."

 Video available here at Source

Humboldts and Africans--say HI!

David W Cerny / Reuters

A girl watches a Humboldt penguin in its pool at Prague Zoo July 26, 2011.

Humboldt penguin says hello

Carissa Ray writes:

 

Don't worry, this little bird isn't taking the summer heat too badly. According to the website for the Antarctic Connection, "This warm weather penguin lives mostly on rocky mainland shores, especially near cliffs, or on islands off the coasts of Chile and Peru. They do not migrate preferring to reside in temperate waters year round."

Source

Chick haven: Two new penguins at New England Aquarium 

 

Happy Feet 2 Review

‘Happy Feet 2′ Trailer: Baby Penguins Bring Sexy Back

Jul 27, 2011 by Sandy Schaefer 

The new trailer for ‘Happy Feet 2′ features everything you would expect from a 3D animated sequel about singing and dancing penguins.

Back in 2006, George Miller (the mind behind the Mad Max movies) hit it big with his kid-friendly animated flick, Happy Feet​. The film managed to gross some $384 million worldwide in theaters, thus ensuring that we would eventually “get” to see more celebrity-voiced penguins singing pop songs and dancing in Happy Feet 2.
There’s a new trailer out for the Happy Feet sequel, which looks to by and large to be a carbon copy of the original film. But, then again, was anyone really expecting it to be anything else?


For those who really want to know, here’s the official lowdown on Happy Feet 2:

In the film, Mumble (voice of Elijah Wood), The Master of Tap, has a problem because his tiny son Erik (Elizabeth Daily) is choreo-phobic. Reluctant to dance, Erik runs away and encounters The Mighty Sven -- a penguin who can fly!! Mumble has no hope of competing with this charismatic new role model. But things get worse when the world is shaken by powerful forces. Erik learns of his father’s ‘guts and grit’ as Mumble brings together the penguin nations and all manner of fabulous creatures -- from tiny Krill to giant Elephant Seals -- to put things right.

Fair warning: If the sight of cute baby penguins performing Justin Timberlake’s “Sexy Back” or going all “gangsta” against a cartoonish elephant seal sounds like something you cannot handle… well, best you skip on watching the theatrical preview for this film.
Everyone else can check out the Happy Feet 2 trailer (via Yahoo! Movies) below:



While the computer animation in Happy Feet 2 looks decent enough, there’s nothing on display in this footage that’s really going to win over people who weren’t already planning on taking their kids to see the sequel. It has all the same popcorn elements of the first film (penguins performing pop songs, Robin Williams comic relief, etc.) and offers a bit more of a adult-oriented storyline than the first Happy Feet. So chances are good that if you enjoyed that movie, you will at least be able to tolerate the followup.

However, don’t be surprised if Happy Feet 2 fails to reach the same levels of financial success as its predecessor managed five years ago. It should still have a decent opening weekend, since its competition (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 1 and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) will both appeal to very different crowds.
The problem is that during the following Thanksgiving holiday frame, the Happy Feet sequel will butt heads with fellow family-friendly pictures like Arthur Christmas, The Muppets, and Martin Scorsese​’s Hugo. So moviegoers with young ones will have a couple of better looking other choices to pick from.
Happy Feet 2 dances its way into 2D and 3D theaters on November 18th, 2011.

Source: Yahoo! Movies

This Week's Pencognito!

Please visit Jen and all the pengies by clicking here!

Awesome Wallpaper from the Tennessee Aquarium

Click here to get it!

Image of the Day

Macaroni Penguin 5, a photo by Bill Rosenthal Photography on Flickr.

New Live Cam Added to Page--Read About It Here!

P-p-p-peek at a Penguin with FiNETra’s web cam at London Zoo’s Penguin Beach

FiNEtra web cams give visitors a bird’s eye view of the new penguin exhibit at London Zoo UK company FiNETra has installed two of its LIVE TV style web cameras at London Zoo’s new penguin exhibit, Penguin Beach.   Unveiled in May, the £2m new attraction has been designed to more closely resemble the natural habitat of this endangered species, with beach areas, pebble shores and nesting boxes.  FiNETra have been retained to add underwater cameras to the new pool which is four times bigger and three times deeper than the Zoo’s original 1934 modernist enclosure.  FiNETra’s web cams stream live footage to an LCD screen just outside the exhibit, giving visitors unrivalled access to the penguins without intrusion.  But you don’t have to visit the Zoo to keep an eye on them.  FiNETra’s online camera portal, www.checkitlive.com, has a round-the-clock live link to the penguins, together with many other animals at zoos and nature reserves around the UK.  For visitors, checkitlive provides a convenient forum for greater engagement with their favourite animals, and the website is rapidly becoming home to a lively online community.  For zoos, checkitlive has also proved to be a highly effective marketing tool for building guest loyalty and increasing visitor numbers. Mark Welch, FiNETra CEO, says, “With the added benefit of an LCD screen visitors will have access to live, rare footage of these much loved birds, nesting within their burrows.  In addition our camera portal, www.checkitlive.com, receives 10,000's of visitors every month, allowing zoos to extend their guest’s experience right into the home.  Zoos and visitor attractions across the country are recognising the benefits of a FiNETra web camera in increasing visitor engagement and driving footfall.” Pippa Craddock, Marketing Director at Paignton Zoo agrees: “The camera is a fundamental part of our marketing strategy...with a 72% propensity to visit following viewing of the live action cameras, the marketing value speaks for itself.” About FiNETra FiNETra work with 100’s of attractions, using LIVE TV style web cameras to drive web traffic and visitor footfall. We have spent years researching, sourcing, developing and installing products that offer our clients the very best in online internet video streaming solutions, and we are proud to be the only supplier offering unlimited usage, meaning existing IT systems are completely unaffected by our camera solutions.  Alongside our camera solutions, we also host a unique online camera portal www.checkitlive.com which receives 10,000's of hits every day, offering our clients a free opportunity to showcase their venue globally. (Image right shows installation at Chessington Zoo.) About London Zoo Founded in 1826, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is an international scientific, conservation and educational charity, with the conservation of animals and their habitats as its key role. The Society runs ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, carries out scientific research at the Institute of Zoology and is actively involved in field conservation overseas. For further information please visit www.zsl.org. Penguin Beach recreates a South American beach landscape in the heart of London, with stunning colonies of Humboldt and Macaroni penguins.  The new exhibit features a significantly larger pool with stunning underwater viewing areas and a large demonstration area.  Penguin Beach will be a breeding facility for colonies of Humboldt, macaroni, black-footed and rockhopper penguins and will include a special penguin nursery. This will include a chick incubation unit and a pool where the youngsters can learn how to swim. Source

Image of the Day

Penguin family II, a photo by Aztlek on Flickr.

Project Aims to Coax Granite Island Penguins Back

Scott Bills

July 27, 2011 

 

Photo: Hopes nesting boxes will encourage penguins back to Granite Island

Map: Victor Harbor 5211

 

 

Volunteers are putting nesting boxes and more native plants on Granite Island at Victor Harbor in efforts to help stop a decline in penguin numbers.

There were more than 2,000 penguins a decade ago, but just 146 counted last year.
Tony Flaherty from the Natural Resources Management Board says people and feral animals may have driven the penguins away.
"What we're trying to manage are some of the land-based causes and ... particularly we know on [nearby] West Island there seems to be issues with weeds that may be smothering some of the penguin habitat there," he said.
"We're putting these nest boxes in the south-west area of Granite Island where historically penguins have used but some of the habitat's been degraded.
"There's been some erosion issues and other things so we're hoping by providing more areas for penguins to nest that we can help the penguin numbers recover."

Source

Happy Feet--the Snow Sculpture

Seigan, Kaito, and Kenshin Hayashi

Tue, 26 Jul 2011

Click here for photos

There are snowmen and snowwomen hitting our email inboxes every minute - but this is the first snow penguin.
Seigan, Kaito and Kenshin Hayashi used the plight of Happy Feet the emperor penguin to inspire their magnificent snow sculpture.
They say it was "lots of fun!"
From the warm confines of our Auckland office we raise a glass of mulled wine to their efforts.

• Click here to see the Happy Feet live stream
• Click here to see Happy Feet go for a swim
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• Source 

Happy Feet Two Teaser Poster

Happy Feet 2 Teaser Poster Has George Miller's Penguins On Thin Ice

Published: 2011-07-26 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Sean O'Connell

The first teaser trailer for George Miler’s animated sequel Happy Feet Two didn’t exactly have us dancing with joy. Maybe it was the use of Justin Timberlake’s I'm Bringing Sexy Back that turned off our very own Eric Eisenberg, but I think he hit the nail on the head when he said the clip “destroyed all the goodwill” he built up for the sequel because of how much he enjoyed the first film. It’s unlikely this latest poster, which we have below, is going to change anyone’s mind about the second Happy Feet, which reaches theaters in November...oh, excuse me. “Novemburr,” as studio marketing materials are calling it. Here’s the poster, courtesy of Moviefone:




The story behind Miller’s sequel involves Mumble (Elijah Wood) the penguin’s son, Erik (Elizabeth Daily), who runs away in shame when he realizes he can’t dance like his father. The real problems arise, however, when Erik finds a new mentor in The Mighty Sven, a penguin who’s able to fly. Pop singer Pink joins the ensemble as the voice of Erik’s mother, Gloria, who originally was voiced by the late Brittany Murphy. Robin Williams also is set to return as Ramon, while Brad Pitt and Matt Damon are down to voice krill. Can you tell which A-listers have kids they want to impress/entertain?

The poster doesn’t suggest much beyond the tagline – “Every Step Counts” – and the fact that young Erik appears to be treading on some thin ice. But what is with the festive rainbow colors used for the word Two on the one-sheet? Are they inspired by Fox’s hit movie Rio, or are they meant to suggest something else entirely? That initial teaser clip was heavy on rap and hip-hop, so I don’t think Happy will have a vibrant Salsa beat. But we’ll find out for sure when Miller’s Happy Feet Two arrives in cinemas.


Source

Image of the Day

IMG_2533j, a photo by pgitman on Flickr.

Pick Up a Penguin?

 


Thursday, 26 February, 1998
 

Pick up a penguin

Penguins are turning to prostitution. But instead of doing it for money, Antarctic dolly-birds are turning tricks to get rocks off their menfolk. Stones are essential for penguins to build their nests. A shortage has led to the unorthodox tactics.
"Stones are the valuable currency in penguin terms," said Dr Fiona Hunter, a researcher in the Zoology Department at Cambridge University, who has spent five years observing the birds' mating patterns.
Prostitution is described as the world's oldest profession. But Dr Hunter is convinced it is the first time it has been seen in animals.

Penguin partners
 
All of the female penguins Dr Hunter observed trading sex for stones had partners.
Penguins stick to the same mate, she said, but none of the males twigged what was happening.
"There was no suspicion on the part of the males. Females quite often go off on their own to collect stones, so as far as the males are concerned there is no reason to suspect."
She added: "It tends to be females targeting single males, otherwise the partner female would beat the intruder up."
Dr Hunter and Dr Lloyd Davis of the University of Otago watched the penguins at work on Ross Island, about 800 miles from the South Pole as part of a Antarctica New Zealand programme.

Tricking their prey
 
On some occasions the prostitute penguins trick the males. They carry out the elaborate courtship ritual, which usually leads to mating.
Having bagged their stone, they would then run off.
"The courtship display is a head-bowing display," Dr Hunter said. "It usually starts with the male, who bows his head and looks out the corner of his eye."
She said she does not think the female penguins are doing it just for the stones.
"The female only takes one or two stones," she said. "It takes hundreds to build the nest to get their eggs off the ground.

"I think what they are doing is having copulation for another reason and just taking the stones as well. We don't know exactly why, but they are using the males."
She said the female penguins could also be testing potential future mates, in case their existing partner died before the next mating period.
The single male penguins appeared to have only their own pleasure as a motive.

The action takes place during a three-week mating period starting in late October.
The most stones Dr Hunter saw a single female taking was 62, although she said she suspects her final total was higher.

The number of prostitute penguins is quite low, she said.
"It's probably only a few percent," she said. "I was watching opportunistically, so I can't give an exact figure of how common it really is."
Other animals have been seen trading food for sexual favours but only within a partnership.

 Source

Happy Feet Feels Right at Home

Tuesday Jul 26, 2011

 

Happy Feet taking his first swim in a salt water pool at Wellington Zoo. Photo / Supplied

It may have been cold enough for a long swim, but Happy Feet the penguin will not start his journey home until he has first-class travel booked to a release point in the Southern Ocean.
He weighs about 26kg and is healthy enough to be released, but the Department of Conservation is still looking for the best travel choice, which would ideally provide conditions of 0C, said Wellington Zoo veterinary science manager Lisa Argilla.

The juvenile bird won global fame when he turned up on Peka Peka Beach, north of Wellington, last month. The penguin has since had various procedures to remove sand, sticks and rocks from his stomach.
Aside from his weight, the penguin's travel-readiness also depended on his body condition, personality and demeanour, all of which were normal, Dr Argilla said.

"There are a lot of factors we need to consider just to keep him safe on the journey, so we just need to work through that and make sure we take him down south and have a successful release.
"We are not prepared to rush that, obviously - because if you rush it, it's going to go wrong."

Happy Feet would be taken from Wellington to Invercargill either by air or in a refrigerated truck, DoC biodiversity programme manager Peter Simpson said.

A boat leaving Bluff, 27km south of Invercargill, would take him to a point past Stewart Island where he would start his swim of more than 3000km.
Travel would have to be approved by Dr Argilla based on how stressful it would be in the temperature and the time-span of the journey.

"It'd have to be a boat that can take the penguin that has some form of chilling on it, that can take the media, and that is licensed to go that far south," Mr Simpson said.
Dr Argilla said the penguin was being fed salmon once a day.
Because of the unusually cold weather in Wellington yesterday, Happy Feet took a swim in the Wellington Zoo saltwater pool, the zoo said, before returning to his cold room.

The emperor penguin is believed to have swum about 3200km from his Antarctic home to Peka Peka Beach.
The only previous recording of an emperor penguin in New Zealand was at Southland's Oreti Beach in 1967.
Emperor penguins are the largest penguins. The adults reach more than 1m tall and weigh up to 30kg.
They feed on fish, krill, squid and a wide range of marine invertebrates, can dive 450m deep and spend 11 minutes underwater.

- NZPA

Source

 

Video Source 

Video: Penguin Waves Back

Image of the Day

Galapagos Penguin 3, a photo by rhysmarsh on Flickr.

Image of the Day

Fairy Penguin, a photo by RV Bob on Flickr.

Image of the Day

Penguins loving VII, a photo by Aztlek on Flickr.

Image of the Day

portrait of a penguin 2, a photo by endeavour73 on Flickr.

This Week's Pencognito!

Please visit Jen and all the pengies by clicking here!

Image of the Day

Penguins Malting, a photo by Tiger Alexander on Flickr.

Time to moult.

Image of the Day (yesterday & today)

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Living Coasts Aquarium Funding the Fitting of Sat Transmitters on Wild African Penguins

Wed, 7/20/2011

By Philip Knowling

Torquay, UK - A conservation project supported by a Devon zoo is fitting satellite transmitters to wild African penguins in an attempt to learn more about the species.
The first juvenile African penguin ever to be fitted with a satellite transmitter was released into the wild off the coast of South Africa at the end of June.
The bird, named Lucy, was hand-reared by SANCCOB (the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds), an organisation supported by Living Coasts Aquarium.

Torquay’s coastal zoo is part of Project Penguin, a conservation and research programme set up by Bristol Zoo Gardens in collaboration with SANCCOB, the University of Cape Town’s Animal Demography Unit, the South African government, Cape Nature and other local and international partners.
The release is one of five planned over the coming months as part of the Chick Bolstering Project, designed to investigate the behaviour of juvenile birds and learn about the pressures they face in early life. The goal is to use chicks abandoned by their parents and hand-reared to create new colonies close to areas of high prey abundance.

Living Coasts Director Elaine Hayes said: “One of the problems African penguins face in the wild is the movement of fish stocks away from the waters in which they have previously been found. We think this is being caused by climate change. The project to establish new colonies could help save the species.”
The transmitter is expected to relay the bird’s position for about six months. The device was attached to feathers on the bird’s back. Dr. Richard Sherley, who is heading the research component of the project, said: “The device will simply drop off once the glue wears off, or when the bird moults at around 18 months. Hopefully, by that time we will have learnt some vital lessons about what these young birds do at sea.”

SANCCOB veterinarian Dr. Nola Parsons, who coordinates the project and oversees chick rearing at SANCCOB, said: “This bird has the potential to give us so much valuable information about the movements of African penguin fledglings. This work is essential in improving the way in which we manage this species”.
By the end of her first night at sea, Lucy was already about 40 kilometres offshore, west of Robben Island in Table Bay. She has since been more than 70 kilometres out to sea.
As well as supporting Project Penguin, Living Coasts donates sums raised by on-site activities to SANCCOB. The coastal zoo is also part of the European Stud Book for African penguins, which means that all breeding is coordinated with collections across Europe.

African penguin colonies are declining at an alarming rate, mainly due to a lack of food caused by over-fishing and by the movement of fish stocks away from the colonies - the latter quite possibly as a result of global climate change.

For more information go to www.livingcoasts.org.uk or ring 0844 474 3366.
To view Living Coast Aquarium's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to: http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-786-Living_Coasts

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Phillip Island Newsletter

Tuesday 19 July In this issue penguin news last days wild white winter love is in the air penguin pete hits the ice In other news penguins vote with their feet   Our research team has been busy with a penguin census, and the numbers are in – 32 000 breeding adults are estimated to live on Phillip Island. That’s a slight increase on previous years. garden lovers festival   The ever popular Garden Lovers’ Festival is set for November 13th. And this year we’ll be planting the seeds for a focus on sustainability. Stay tuned! september school holidays   The Nature Parks will be launching an exciting new holiday program this September. Kids aged 6 to 12 can participate in parent free activities, all with a qualified ranger. Call 03 5951 2826 for more details. wildlife rehabilitation centre   Our new Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre is set to open on August 11. The new centre will have facilities dedicated to dealing with penguins in an oil spill, as well as caring for other sick or injured native wildlife. contact us If you would like to know any further information on any stories in this edition please contact us marketing@penguins.org.au or visit our website penguins.org.au   Adopt a Penguin   Forward to a friend Know someone who might be interested in the email? Why not forward this email   to them. penguin news The annual moult is over and the Little Penguins are spending winter chasing lots of fish to make sure they’re fighting fit come the breeding season. Some fishing trip for individual penguins at this time of year can last for three to four weeks. As Spring approaches and the weather warms up, be sure to look for penguins renovating their burrows with grass and leaves. Male penguins are typically the renovators, while the females are attracted to a cosy love nest when the time comes. Penguin breeding season is usually from August to October, but times can vary year to year depending on the mood of the penguins and environmental conditions. last days wild white winter The Wild White Winter promotion is drawing to a close, so get in quick! Purchase a Nature Parks’ family or adult 3 Parks Pass before July 31st and receive a free child lift ticket to Mt. Baw Baw resort. PLUS go in the draw to win a $4 000 family snow extravaganza. Visit penguins.org.au   for more details. love is in the air Share in the romance of this penguin breeding season with a special offer from Phillip Island Nature Parks and Harry’s on the Esplanade restaurant. Purchase a 3 Parks Pass between August 1st and October 31st and you’ll receive a free wine or soft drink with every meal purchased at Harry’s on the Esplanade restaurant in Cowes. Plus you’ll go in the draw to win one of three fabulous weekend romantic escapes to Harry’s penthouse suites. Call 03 5951 2800 or visit www.penguins.org.au   to make a booking. penguin pete hits the ice Penguin Pete got a taste of life on the ice in July when he visited the Icehouse at Melbourne’s Docklands. Little Penguins don’t normally have to deal with snow and ice, but Pete thought he best check out what his cousins down south have to contend with. We think Pete’s now happy to spend winter in Australia instead of Antarctica!

Phillip Island Nature Parks is an award winning, not for profit organisation dedicated to international excellence in n