Sunday, August 31, 2014

Penguin of the Day

Antarctic Wildlife: Penguin seeing off skua
You are NOT WELCOME HERE! 

A Gentoo shooing off a skua

Ready To Visit Maryland Zoo's Penguin Coast?


SONY DSC
 
By Joanna Campbell
 
Penguin Coast is set to open September 27th at the Maryland Zoo and I was lucky enough to get a behind the scenes hard-hat tour…

RELATED: See the FULL Photo Gallery here

Penguin Coast will feature a 360-degree swimming area around a specially built facility designed with the animals and keepers in mind. The penguin building, modeled after a makeshift fishing and mining camp, will have better air circulation and a bigger kitchen then the current Rock Island facility, as well as a bathroom, showers, and lockers for keepers. There will also be a state-of-the-art safety system in place with fire alarms, security, and animal escape alarms.

Photo by JoPhoto by Jo

A super cool new feature will be the option to pay for behind the scene tours with the zoo’s ambassador penguins – with on site education and meet & greets (once the penguins have settled in to their new homes.)

The plan to move the penguins from Rock Island to a new home has been years in the making, but the actual construction started in July 2013. The 11-million-dollar project makes use of the old Hippo House, which has been vacant since 1999.

Photo by Jo
The Maryland Zoo has the one of the top penguin programs in the world, and their new home on Penguin Coast will showcase our little tuxedo-ed feathered friends in a fun and accessible way for fans of all ages!

For more: http://www.marylandzoo.org/animals-conservation/new-african-penguin-exhibit/

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Frantic search continues for baby penguin last seen being stuffed into a box

  • A person was seen taking injured penguin from Manly on Friday morning
  • Authorities are desperate for information but say 'no one is in trouble'
  • The penguin has not been taken to any Wildlife rescue agencies or vets
  • Office of Environment & Heritage want to know the bird's fate - dead or alive 
By Lucy Thackray for Daily Mail Australia
An injured little penguin is still missing 24 hours after it was taken from Manly Wharf on Friday morning, with wildlife officers holding grave concerns for its safety.

Authorities are desperate to find the penguin, dead or alive, and are appealing for members of the public come forward with information, assuring those involved that ‘no one is in trouble.’‘A person was seen taking the injured penguin away in a box early on Friday morning, but we know they were well-meaning. 'We want to know the penguin’s fate and if it’s still alive, to get it to the right place for treatment,’ a spokesperson for the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage told Daily Mail Australia.

The injured little penguin was taken from Manly Cove after a member of the public was seen stuffing it into a cardboard box early on Friday morning
The injured little penguin was taken from Manly Cove after a member of the public was seen stuffing it into a cardboard box early on Friday morning

‘No one is in trouble. A box was a right thing to do, it’s a quiet and dark place which can calm down an injured animal. With our connections, we know the penguin hasn’t been delivered to any wildlife rescue services or vets in the area, which is extremely concerning. 'We’d just like to know if it’s safe. Penguins are a protected species that need specialised 

The authorities ask that the penguin is dropped it off to Taronga Wildlife Hospital as soon as possible or to call 9978 4785 – even if it did not survive. 'People should report all sick and injured Little Penguins to NPWS duty officer on 9457 9577 in the first instance.'

The stolen penguin was found on the eastern side of Manly Wharf. It was injured and distressed, with a 'chewed tail',
The stolen penguin was found on the eastern side of Manly Wharf. It was injured and distressed, with a 'chewed tail.'

Members of the public who saw the incident were under the impression that the person who took the penguin away was a certified wildlife officer. National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), WIRES and Sydney Wildlife had been called to help the ‘distressed’ bird, who was found with a chewed tail and was being attacked by other birds, according to the Office of Environment and Heritage. When an NPWS personnel arrived, the penguin had already been taken away by a member of the public.

Authorities are appealing to the public to come forward with information about the stolen penguin. They want to know what has happened to it, 'dead or alive.' They assure those involved that 'no one is in trouble.'
Authorities are appealing to the public to come forward with information about the stolen penguin. They want to know what has happened to it, 'dead or alive.' They assure those involved that 'no one is in trouble.'

‘It’s an educational process. Lots of people pick up injured wildlife, but it’s always best to call WIRES, NPWS or Sydney Wildlife instead of picking the animal up. ‘Even if friends of family come forward, we would be delighted to have some information. We know the person was well-meaning, we’d just like to get the animal to the right place if we can to receive the care it needs.' Even if the penguin has died, authorities would like to know its fate.  ‘We microchip the penguins in the colony. Even if the bird has died, we want to know and get the animal back if we can to record its death as part of our research with the colony.’ 

This Week's Pencognito!




Please visit Jen and all the Pengies by clicking this link!

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Penguins of the Day

King Penguin, Macquarie Island, Getty Images.
 King Penguin, Macquarie Island


Emperor Penguin, Antarctica. Getty Images.

Emperor Penguin, Antarctica

Friday, August 29, 2014

For Penguins’ Sake—How Conservation Efforts May Save the Tuxedoed Wonders

By Ryan Wallace 
Aug 29, 2014
Affected globally in recent decades due to multiple factors including climate change, pollution, habitat loss and fishery-related impacts, seabird species have become far more uncommon sites to be seen than ever before. Particularly vulnerable species, in all of their niché habitats, penguins have shown this effect as population sizes for the black and white birds have plummeted. In fact, all 18 penguin species face some sort of threat even today, as conservation efforts have become more well-defined. But researchers say that not all hope is lost for the penguin family.
Published earlier this month in the journal Conservation Biology, a team of international European and American conservation biologists sought to pinpoint the threats and difficulties facing all 18 species over the course of the last 250 years. By reviewing data and research collected by biologists worldwide over more than two centuries, the team was able to consider trends seen in range, distribution, population density and anthropogenic (human-caused) threats. "These [anthropogenic] threats were harvesting adults for oil, skin and feathers and as bait for crab and rock lobster fisheries; harvesting of eggs; terrestrial habitat degradation; marine pollution...climate change; and toxic algal poisoning and disease", and those are only the short list of threats, lead author from the British Antarctic Survey, Phil Trathan says.

(Photo : National Geographic)

Though nine serious threats were identified to have caused serious declines in penguin populations, the conservationists focused on three main causes, which humans can readily address. These included: ongoing habitat destruction caused by livestock and other foreign species, pollution from oils spills and marine debris, and injury and famine caused by increased fishing in their natural hunting areas. By paying more attention to the factors that seriously affect the species, the researchers are hopeful that governmental intervention can help penguins once again flourish in the absence of humans.

Though the researchers do not posit specific plans, they do generally suggest the implementation of more marine reserves called "Marine Protected Areas" (MPA) to help return the populations to natural conditions not interfered or altered by human presence and intervention. As not only hunting and pollution, but also climate change, exhibited serious trends in the study, the researchers insist that ongoing conservation actions and changes in the anthropogenic stresses placed on the niche habitats will be an essential necessity for conservation of the 18 species in the immediate future.

"Large-scale conservation zones are not always practical or politically feasible, and other ecosystem-based management methods that include spatial zoning, bycatch mitigation, and robust harvest control must be developed to maintain marine biodiversity and ensure that ecosystem functioning is maintained across a variety of scales" Trathan says. "We suggest protection of breeding habitat, linked to the designation of appropriately scaled marine reserves, including in the High Seas, will be critical for the future conservation of penguins worldwide."

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Authorities desperate to find injured and distressed little penguin stolen from Manly Cove

.
.A little penguin was taken from Manly Cove yesterday.
 
CONCERNS are held for the welfare of a little penguin that was last seen being put in a box on the eastern side of Manly Wharf early yesterday morning.

.The distressed and injured little penguin was first spotted about 6am and calls were made to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, WIRES and Sydney Wildlife. But by the time an NPWS person arrived, the penguin had been placed in a box by someone and taken away. The NPWS’s little penguin coordinator Mel Tyas said the NPWS was extremely concerned for the bird’s plight and stressed that it would need immediate help.

A little penguin was seen being put into a box at Manly Cove yesterday.

“We have people who confirmed seeing it being taken away in a cardboard box but we have been unable to track its whereabouts since then,” she said. “The penguin was seen by a number of people who described it as having what appeared to be a chewed tail and was being attacked by birds on the eastern side of Manly Wharf.
The penguin was taken from the eastern side of Manly Wharf.
The penguin was taken from the eastern side of Manly Wharf.

“With our close connections to Taronga Zoo, WIRES and the Sydney Metropolitan Wildlife Service, we know it was not picked up by these agencies, which is troubling as the little bird will need specialist care. “If someone did pick it up, we would ask the well-meaning person to drop it off to Taronga Wildlife Hospital as soon as possible or call 9978 4785 – even if it did not survive “Little penguins are not like their Antarctic cousins and don’t like to be out in the cold – a sick kittle penguin really needs very specialist care if it is to be nurtured back to health. “Someone must know what happened to it, so if you know where it is, dead or alive, please let us know straight away.”

.A little penguin was taken from Manly Cove yesterday.
The little penguin is likely to be distressed and in need of care.

Ms Tyas said that even if the little penguin did not survive, it was important that the bird was examined and its microchip checked to determine which penguin it was and which nesting site it was from.  She said that people should report all sick and injured little penguins to NPWS duty officer on 9457 9577 immediately.

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Everyone Has a Bad Day--Even Penguins


Poor little Adelie Penguin chick...

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Two Baby Penguins Take First Dive at Aquarium of the Pacific's Penguin Habitat

BabyPeng01
Photos by Brian Addison. More photos below.

The Aquarium of the Pacific introduced two new souls to the public today as they waddled into the June Keyes Penguin Habitat for the first time.

The pair of female chicks are two of four baby penguins birthed earlier this year and are part of the Magellanic Penguin family. Native to Argentina and Chile, the babies are sporting beautifully shiny coats—much to the chagrin and frustration of their adult counterparts, who are going through the aggravating two-week long process of molting (and currently look mighty angry about it).

If you're curious about their names, well, their monikers could very well be up to you. The public will have the opportunity to name one of the chicks through the Aquarium's Adopt-a-Chick program. When you participate in the program by donating $100 or more before October 31, you will be given the chance to submit a name.

The parents of the chick born in late May are Kate and Avery—two of the Aquarium’s birds that were rescued off the coast of Brazil. The parents of the second female penguin born this summer are Patsy and Noodles.

The penguins are available to view by visiting the Aquarium of the Pacific, located at 100 Aquarium Way. For more information and tickets, click here.









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Penguins of the Day

Rockhopper penguins. Getty Images. 
How to make Rockhopper Penguins

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Monday, August 25, 2014

Penguins of the Day

@paulnicklen on assignment for @natgeo. Emperor Penguins rocket to the surface. They release millions of micro bubbles from their feathers in order to reduce the amount of friction between their bodies and the water, allowing them to accelerate to much gr@paulnicklen on assignment for @natgeo. Emperor Penguins rocket to the surface. They release millions of micro bubbles from their feathers in order to reduce the amount of friction between their bodies and the water, allowing them to accelerate to much greater speeds to avoid leopard seal predation. Leopard seals hide under the ice edge, waiting to ambush the penguins at this moment when they are most vulnerable. 


Falklands PenguinsJust a stroll on the beach by a couple of kings


African Penguin 02An African swim

Penguin fence complete at last

SARAH-JANE O'CONNOR
Last updated  25/08/2014










West Coast penguin fence
SAVING LIVES: Reef Barltrop, 4, and Eva van Mierlo, 6, celebrate the opening of the Punakaiki penguin fence with Kori the Penguin. Sarah-Jane O'Connor/Fairfax NZ

 
A 2.6km fence to stop penguins being hit on a West Coast highway is complete.
More than 60 birds have been killed on State Highway 6, between Punakaiki and Fox River, since the West Coast Penguin Trust started a "penguin mortality database" in 2006, chairwoman Kerry-Jayne Wilson said.
To limit the road deaths, the trust built a fence between the beach and the road. Blue penguins, the world's smallest, live around New Zealand and Australia.
But populations on the West Coast are in decline. The trust paid for 750m of fenceline, and sourced the rest of the funding in the community.
Buller District Mayor Garry Howard officially "closed" the fence on Friday . With about 700 posts, it was the "longest penguin fence in New Zealand, and most likely the first one," he said.

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Thursday, August 21, 2014

Penguins of the Day (Artistic and Scientific)

Roger Tory Peterson's “Penguins,” gouache on paper, 14 x 20 inches
(Click image for poster size download) 

Relative size of Palaeeudyptes klekowskii to living and past penguins
(Click on image for larger version)

Penguins Born This Summer Set to Make Their Public Debut at Aquarium of the Pacific

Penguins Born This Summer Set to Make Their Public Debut
One of the juvenile penguins, born to Kate and Avery, explores the outside of the June Keyes Penguin Habitat.  | Hugh Ryono

Animals

August 19, 2014
Two of the Magellanic Penguin chicks born at the Aquarium this summer are getting ready for their public debut. After hatching in their nest burrows in the penguin habitat and being cared for by their parents, the juvenile birds were moved behind the scenes to learn how to swim and receive feedings from Aquarium staff members. Two chicks are now ready to go on exhibit, and two more are expected to go on exhibit later this year.

Aquarium biologists will move two of the juvenile penguins on exhibit on August 27 at 8:15 a.m. Visitors to the Aquarium’s website will be able to watch live as the young penguins join the rest of the colony in the June Keyes Penguin Habitat. Aquarium visitors will be able see the penguin chicks in the exhibit when the Aquarium opens at 9:00 a.m. that morning.

The Aquarium has live webcams in the June Keyes Penguin Habitat, allowing people around the world to tune in to catch a glimpse of the chicks exploring the habitat for the first time and meeting with their parents, Kate, Avery, Patsy, and Noodles. Cameras are located above and below the water, providing a real-time view of the lives of the Aquarium’s penguins. The webcams have been provided courtesy of explore.org, the philanthropic multimedia arm of the Annenberg Foundation. Click here to see the Aquarium’s webcams.

The public will also have the chance to help name one of the chicks though the Aquarium’s Adopt an Animal program by adopting at the $100 limited-edition penguin chick level or above before October 31, 2014. The person whose suggested name is chosen by Aquarium staff members will be able to go behind the scenes and participate in a feeding and training session with the penguins. Click here to adopt a chick and submit a name.

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Humboldt penguins set to come to Byculla zoo

Written by Alison Saldanha | Mumbai | August 21, 2014
Three pairs of the aquatic flightless birds are expected to arrive in Mumbai before the end of the current financial year. The BMC Wednesday finally approved a Rs 2.57-crore proposal to acquire Humboldt penguins, a promise made by the the Shiv Sena during the 2012 civic elections. Three pairs of the aquatic flightless birds are expected to arrive in Mumbai before the end of the current financial year.
The Humboldt penguin is a South American species that breeds in coastal Peru and Chile. It is named after the cold water current it swims in, which itself is named after German explorer Alexander von Humboldt.

The acquisition is part of the BMC’s larger masterplan for revamp of the Byculla Zoo at a cost of Rs 440 crore. Construction of the penguin’s enclosure is already under way for which the BMC will spend Rs 19 crore, which includes maintenance costs for a period of five years for both the space and the general conservation of the species. The budget includes the expenditure for providing nutritious fish and other foods for the penguins.

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Penguins in urgent need of protection




Copy of ca p10 Penguins DONE
INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS

JUST SLEEPING: A penguin chick having a snooze at Sanccob s penguin nursery.


Cape Town - Some of them are small, cute and superficially cuddly, although they smell alarmingly of fish. Others are tall, stately and beautiful, although also generally offensive to human noses.
all of them are definitely charismatic and collectively are one of people’s favourite animals – yet the world’s 18 penguin species are now at “considerable risk”, scientists warn. 

And unless effective conservation measures that should include the urgent establishment of more Marine Protected Areas – including in the hard-to-police high seas beyond national jurisdictions – are taken now, penguins will be at even greater risk from future climate change. Because penguins are a good “indicator species”, changes in their numbers are also a warning of a decline in general ocean health.  These warnings are spelled out in a major review study just published in the scientific journal Conservation Biology by 17 scientists who include South African seabird expert Dr Rob Crawford of the oceans and coasts branch of the national Environmental Affairs Department. 

Another of the authors of “Pollution, habitat loss, fishing and climate change as critical threats to penguins” is Dr Richard Cuthbert of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, a member of the seabird research team of UCT’s Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology. Their review of all 18 penguin species – all in the southern hemisphere except in the northern hemisphere at the Galapágos Islands – was based on an expert assessment and scientific literature, with 49 scientists contributing to the process. 

In the paper, the researchers point out that many fisheries across the world’s oceans are depleted, and that other, mostly human-driven, changes to coastal ecosystems have occurred. The largest cumulative impacts have occurred in the northern hemisphere, but the southern latitudes are less studied. “Therefore, we assessed a single widespread taxonomic group, penguins, to examine how humans affect marine systems across southern latitudes.” 

Noting that populations of many penguin species had declined substantially over the past two decades, the scientists looked at the main issues affecting penguin populations, including habitat degradation, marine pollution like oil spills, fisheries by-catch and resource competition, environmental variability, climate change, and toxic algal poisoning and disease. The status of each species was assessed and the scientists then developed a scale for estimating risk factors. They concluded that habitat loss, pollution, and fishing remained the primary concerns, but also said that despite the paucity of direct evidence that climate change was affecting penguins, evidence was “compelling.”

The future resilience of penguin populations to climate change impacts would almost certainly depend on addressing current threats to existing habitat degradation on land and at sea. “Many populations of penguins appear to be resilient, and given adequate protection, including sufficient habitat and food, populations can recover from relative low numbers once threats such as (direct) harvesting (of these birds) and egging (egg removal) are removed. Whether this remains the case in the future as climate change continues to affect ecosystems, has yet to be determined… 

“Many penguin species face a common set of anthropogenic threats that also affect other seabird species, marine mammals and taxa (groups of species) across a variety of trophic (feeding) levels. We therefore conclude that there is an urgent need to establish marine protected areas as an effective means of protecting penguins. (Protected areas) are an important management tool for conserving marine biodiversity because they allow for the sustainable and rational use of marine resources and potentially enhance fisheries management.” 

Penguin chick whose legs won't go together after his parents sat on him gets a special pair of trousers to help him waddle

Unhappy feet

  • A Humboldt penguin chick was born with splayed legs at an aquarium
  • Staff at Sea Life Scarborough made tailored trousers to fix the deformity 
  • After six weeks of treatment the little creature can now waddle normally
  • Now the little penguin will be able to meet its extended family next week
  • Experts believe the problem was caused by the parents sitting on it heavily
By Jenny Awford for MailOnline
An endangered penguin chick born with splayed legs finally has 'happy feet' after wearing a special pair of trousers which fixed the deformity. The adorable animal was born at Sea Life Scarborough, Yorkshire, and staff realised it had the problem when he was around three weeks old. They believe the deformity was caused by first-time parents, Pinky and Kev, sitting on it too heavily.

A Humboldt penguin chick born with splayed legs finally has happy feet after a pair of special trousers were made for him which has helped fix the deformity
A Humboldt penguin chick born with splayed legs finally has happy feet after a pair of special trousers were made for him which has helped fix the deformity

Once staff realised they began wrapping its legs in tight fitting trousers made from an elasticated material. It was also regularly placed inside a shallow pot to gradually correct the positioning of his legs as he grew.

After six weeks of treatment, the little creature's legs are back to the usual position and it can waddle like any other Humboldt penguin. Staff at the sea life centre will not know the gender of the chick until a DNA test is carried out as part of a veterinary check, so it is being referred to as a 'he' for now.

The cute animal was born at an aquarium and staff realised it had the problem when he was around three weeks old. After six weeks of treatment, the little creature's legs are back to the usual position

The cute animal was born at an aquarium and staff realised it had the problem when he was around three weeks old. After six weeks of treatment, the little creature's legs are back to the usual position

He was also regularly placed inside a shallow pot to gradually correct the positioning of his legs as he grewThe penguin chick with his support trousers on
Once staff at the Sea Life Centre in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, realised the chick had a deformity, they began wrapping its legs in tight fitting trousers made from an elasticated material

He will be able to live with the rest of the colony in about a week's time.  Lyndsey Crawford, spokeswoman from the Sea Life Centre, said: 'Splayed legs is a common issue with many bird species. 'Their growth is so rapid it can result in a permanent disability unless treated quickly. 'It was a result of some over-zealous parenting by first-time mum and dad Pinky and Kev, basically they sat on him a bit too heavily.
'The tailored trousers applied just enough pressure to gently squeeze his legs together as he continued to grow.

Staff at the sea life centre believe the deformity was caused by the parents sitting on it too heavily. The chick is pictured here with its mother
Staff at the sea life centre believe the deformity was caused by the parents sitting on it too heavily. The chick is pictured here with its mother

This is the tape used to make the special elasticated trousers which have been worn for at least six weeks
This is the tape used to make the special elasticated trousers which have been worn for at least six weeks

'We have sat him in a shallow pot to help keep his legs in the right position and gradually correct his posture. 'He has stayed with his parents throughout his unusual therapy and they have continued to feed him, unfazed by his extraordinary leg plumage.

'They are very social birds, greeting each other every morning and reinforcing the bond between them with regular bill tapping and mutual preening. 'The chick is expected to emerge to meet its extended family properly in about a week's time. 'It won't be fully initiated until he is able to join them for their underwater formation swims a few weeks after that though. 'It may have had a wobbly start to life with his legs, but we don't expect any problems with his water wings.'

Humboldt penguins are listed as endangered in Peru as the number of breeding pairs has decreased significantly in recent years.

HUMBOLDT PENGUINS: A SOUTH AMERICAN SPECIES IN SERIOUS DECLINE

Humboldt penguins are named after the cold current of water running from the Antarctic to the equator along the west coast of South America. They originate from coastal Peru and Chile, but the population is currently undergoing a serious decline and estimates suggest there may be only 10,000 left, making them an endangered species. Over-fishing of prey species, entanglement in fishing nets and commercial guano removal are thought to have contributed to this.

The medium-sized penguins have black backs and tails, and a black band across the chest that runs down the body beneath the flippers to the black feet.  They grow to around 18 inch tall and can live up to 30 years in captivity. The penguins have adapted in many ways to a life in the ocean and they even have a special gland that enables them to drink sea water as well as fresh water.

The adult Humboldt penguins waddling around their enclosure at the Scarborough Sea Life Centre
The adult Humboldt penguins waddling around their enclosure at the Scarborough Sea Life Centre

Poorly penguin back on happy feet

Wed 20 Aug 2014
  • Scarborough / North Yorkshire
A penguin chick with a bad case of splayed legs is back on happy feet again…thanks to his own wardrobe of special designer trousers. Animal care staff at Scarborough Sea Life Centre discovered the problem when the chick was just three weeks old.

Experts discovered the problem early on
Experts discovered the problem early on

It’s a common issue with many bird species, and their growth is so rapid it can result in a permanent disability unless treated quickly. It was a result of some over-zealous parenting by first-time mum and dad Pinky and Kev. Basically they sat on him a bit too heavily.
– Lyndsey Crawford, Scarborough Sea Life Centre
The youngster has since been having regular fittings of special trousers
The youngster has since been having regular fittings of special trousers
The youngster has since been having regular fittings of specially tailored, tight fitting trousers made from an elasticated bandage-like material. “We have also been sitting him in a shallow pot to help keep his legs in the right position and gradually correct his posture as he continued to grow.”
He has been growing up quickly
He has been growing up quickly
He has stayed with his parents throughout his unusual therapy and they have continued to feed him, unfazed by his extraordinary leg plumage! Now nine weeks old and taking the occasional glimpse out of the the nest box entrance, Lyndsey and her colleagues are thrilled that he has a full-working and perfectly penguin-like waddle!
Though a ‘he’ for the time being, the chick’s gender will not be known for certain until a DNA test is carried out as part of his next full veterinary check. The other residents of the Sea Life Centre’s Humboldt penguin colony have shown a keen interest in the new arrival each time he has popped his head out.

Standing on his own two feet
Standing on his own two feet

They are very social birds, greeting each other every morning and reinforcing the bond between them with regular bill tapping and mutual preening. The chick is expected to emerge to meet his extended family properly in about a week’s time.

He won’t be fully initiated until he is able to join them for their underwater formation swims a few weeks after that though. He may have had a wobbly start to life with his legs, but we don’t expect any problems with his water wings.
– Lyndsey Crawford, Scarborough Sea Life Centre

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Penguins wash up dead at beach in Altona

MYSTERY surrounds the death of penguins that washed up on a beach at Altona overnight.
An investigation is underway after a walker noticed the bodies of 25 little penguins on the sand early this morning. Residents are on watch in case more penguins wash up when the tide changes.

Melbourne Zoo confirmed it was prepared to care for any live penguins found during the clean-up.
The penguins were found with their bodies intact, prompting confusion about the cause of death.
It’s not yet known which colony the penguins came from, but researchers from Earthcare St Kilda believe they were not part of the group from Phillip Island, which is home to the largest colony in the state.

Earthcare penguin researcher Zoe Hogg said she had never before found dead penguins with no markings to show how they had died. “They were in very good condition, apart from one of them which was a bit skinny,” Ms Hogg said. “I have absolutely no idea what happened to them.”

The animals’ bodies were collected by government environmental and fisheries officers, Hobsons Bay council staff and researchers. Scientists at the University of Melbourne and DEPI will conduct a post-mortem to determine what may have killed the birds. “This is a sad and very unfortunate event,” DEPI Port Phillip regional director Travis Dowling said.

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Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Meet an awesome blonde penguin

Seafarers on a 2012 National Geographic-Lindblad expedition to Antarctica found this amazing and rare “blond” penguin on a colony on Aitcho Island.

The penguin actually suffers from a condition called isabellinism or leucism – not albinism.Though technically separate conditions, isabellinism and leucism are used interchangeably


In albinism, there is a complete or partial lack of the skin pigment called melanin (responsible for the color black). In leucism however, there is a reduction in all types of skin pigment, not just melanin. A further difference between albinism and leucism is in eye colour. Due to the lack of melanin production, albino animals and humans often have red eyes – while in leucism, you get colored eyes.
Leuc- (in Latin) or Leuk- (in Greek) is a prefix used to describe the color white – like for example leukocyte, a white blood cell.

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