Neal J. Riley
Saturday, July 27, 2013
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Spectators watch as four penguin chicks march towards their new habitat during the March of the Penguins at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, Calif. on July 27, 2013. Photo: Ian C. Bates, The Chronicle
Four of the five penguin chicks stop at the gate to their new habitat during the March of the Penguins at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, Calif. on July 27, 2013. Photo: Ian C. Bates, The Chronicle
Four of the five penguin chicks march towards their new habitat during the March of the Penguins at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, Calif. on July 27, 2013. Photo: Ian C. Bates, The Chronicle
Four penguin chicks check their surroundings while marching towards their new habitat during the March of the Penguins at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, Calif. on July 27, 2013. Photo: Ian C. Bates, The Chronicle
Older penguins check out one of the penguin chicks that just entered their habitat during the March of the Penguins at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, Calif. on July 27, 2013. Photo: Ian C. Bates, The Chronicle
Spectators watch as four penguin chicks are lead by Animal Keeper Anthony Brown, right, towards their new habitat during the March of the Penguins at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, Calif. on July 27, 2013. Photo: Ian C. Bates, The Chronicle
Spectators watch as four penguin chicks march towards their new habitat during the March of the Penguins at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, Calif. on July 27, 2013. Photo: Ian C. Bates, The Chronicle
Spectators watch as four penguin chicks are lead by Animal Keeper Anthony Brown, right, towards their new habitat during the March of the Penguins at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, Calif. on July 27, 2013. Photo: Ian C. Bates, The Chronicle
Keeper Anthony Brown coaxes penguin chicks past captivated crowds on their march to their lifetime home at Penguin Island. Photo: Ian C. Bates, The Chronicle
(07-27) San Francisco -- Graduating from school and entering the real world can be scary, even for penguins.
With about 700 pairs of eyes locked on the newest alumni of fish school at the San Francisco Zoo on Saturday, the annual March of the Penguins got off to a hesitant start. The five Magellanic penguins, each barely 2 months old, seemed paralyzed with stage fright before they were picked up and carried a few yards by animal keepers.
And then they were off. Breaking into fast waddle, the two-foot tall birds made their way to Penguin Island, where they will spend the rest of their lives with 48 of their friends in the world's largest captive Magellanic penguin colony.
"It's so exciting," said Judie Gee, a zoo volunteer for 20 years who helped the infant penguins learn to socialize with humans and each other at fish school. "One of the girls is a little crazy, but this group is sweet."
This year's march, traditionally a zoo society members-only event, was open to the public for the first time. Penguin Keeper Anthony Brown told the crowd full of families with excited young children sitting by the chalk-outlined route to keep their voices down, but there was no reason to be scared if one of the penguins decided to get friendly.
"Not many people get to have a 2-month-old penguin chick stop and stare them in the eyes," Brown said.
The baby penguins, some still showing traces of light brown downy feathers, had only been introduced to water at fish school a week earlier. When they finally dove into the moat surrounding the island, however, they swam like naturals.
"They passed all their tests with flying colors," Brown said. "We don't want them to fall into the water before they're ready."
This year's march had royal connotations to it, capitalizing off the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's baby news. A naming contest was held at the march for the lone male in this year's batch of newborns, referred to temporarily as "the penguin prince."
Just like the new prince, the penguin will now be known as George Alexander Louis, thanks to a random drawing of entries submitted by zoo donors, officials said.
Claire Cover, 7, had voted to name the penguin Zap after a water dragon character in the children's video game "Skylanders," and made a face when asked if she liked the winning choice.
"Kind of ... not really," she said, but noted that the penguins were "sooo cute."
Her mother, Simmy Cover of San Francisco, agreed.
"That's quite a name for such a small creature," she said.
The name was submitted by Heidi and David Vass of Pacifica, zoo members who have been coming to the march for five years. Their prize for having the winning name picked was an up-close visit with the colony on the island.
"Could you have a cuter animal named after you?" Heidi Vass said, adding that perhaps having his namesake at the zoo would inspire a visit from the newest member of the royal family someday. "They may come here, you never know."
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