Miranda the sea lion eating MSC-certified Scottish herring at Edinburgh Zoo. Photograph: Karen Murray/MSC/PA
Sea lions and penguins at Edinburgh zoo are changing diet to help save threatened fish stocks, even if adapting a Rick Stein seafood recipe may remain beyond them.
They are in the vanguard of a push by the Marine Stewardship Council encouraging zoos to follow retailers and restaurants in using only sources it has certified as sustainable.
Uncertified herring are no longer disappearing down the throats of Sofus and Miranda, the zoo's sea lions. They have been replaced by MSC-approved stocks from Scottish waters. The zoo's 200 penguins will be soon guzzling certified South African hake instead of blue whiting from the Pacific if trials prove them a suitable substitute.
Darren McGarry, animal collection manager for the zoo, said: "We're really pleased that the Patagonian sea lions have taken to their new feed. Zoo animals can be very picky about what they eat but they've taken to the MSC-certified feeds straight away."
Gentoo penguins were also rather choosy diners, said McGarry, and it was important to ensure their new diet suited them in taste and nutrition. "It's important as well that the South Africa hake fishery has radically reduced its seabird bycatch as part of its MSC certification – a cut that means thousands of seabirds will be saved. We're really pleased to support that work and will be working towards adding a recommendation for MSC-certified feed with any penguin we export to another zoo."
MSC's Claire Pescod said the sea lions' change of food "supports the Scottish fishing communities that rely on the certified herring fishery and have proved their sustainability through the MSC process".
Source
The Penguin Camera is located on Torgersen Island (64°46’S, 64°04’W), off the coast of Anvers Island and less than a mile from Palmer Station. Torgersen Island is home to a colony of Adélie penguins numbering approximately 2,500. This camera is seasonal and operates primarily from October to February, the Adélie breeding season. The camera is solar-powered and may sometimes experience brief outages due to inclement weather. School classrooms and other educational demonstrations will often take control of the camera, moving it to gain better views of the colony.
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