Dudley Wigdahl, curator of marine animals and birds at the Aquarium of the Pacific, examines Magellanic penguins that are undergoing treatment to restore their health after they were found stranded on a Brazilian beach. The marine birds will become part of a new exhibit. (Jeff Gritchen / Press-Telegram)
Two of the five Magellanic penguins that recently were rescued from a beach in Brazil peer from a perch in their temporary home at Long Beach's Aquarium of the Pacific. The birds will be part of a new exhibit that will open next summer. (Jeff Gritchen / Press-Telegram)
Pamela Hale Burns, Staff Writer
Posted: 04/08/2011
LONG BEACH - Five Magellanic penguins rescued off the beaches of Brazil can now call the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach home.
The three females and two males, born less than a year ago, were among hundreds stranded and are the first of any penguin breed featured at the aquarium.
Typically found near the tip of South America in the extreme southern regions of Chile and Argentina where they feed on small fish like sardines and anchovies, the birds had apparently had a long, unsuccessful search for food, according to Dudley Wigdahl, curator of marine mammals and birds at the Aquarium of the Pacific.
"You don't normally find these penguins much farther north than the Falkland Islands," he said.
"The locations of their food sources are changing perhaps due to climate change, and penguins are having to travel farther in search of food."
After they were rescued, some of the birds were strong enough to return to the wild while others, for health reasons, have been determined to be unreleasable.
"When these penguins were stranded in Rio, they were frail and emaciated after such a long swim up the Atlantic coast of South America," Wigdahl said. "We're happy to be able to provide a home and medical care for these unreleasable animals."
On Friday, as the birds familiarized themselves with their new home, a behind-the-scenes holding area, aquarium staff continued to provide care for their recovery.
"They are still not totally healthy yet. We still have some work to do," Wigdahl said. "We're working on their feet mostly because they really require appropriate surface area to keep their feet in good health and in this case several of them developed some infections on their feet."
For now the penguins will be cared for by the aquarium's aviculturist (bird biologist) team and veterinary staff in the holding area. They will be moved on to exhibit in the summer of 2012 when the aquarium debuts the June Keyes Penguin Habitat.
"They're adjusting very well and they tell a great story. They are ambassadors for their species," Wigdahl said. "They're going to be very important birds, because they are from the wild and they will help with the genetic stock across the zoological groups that breed penguins. In the future these will be important birds."
pam.hale@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1476
Want to go?
What: Aquarium of the Pacific
When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day of the year, except Christmas Day and during the weekend of the Grand Prix of Long Beach
Where: 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach
Cost: Adult: $24.95; Child (3-11): $12.95; Senior (62+): $21.95
Information: 562-590-3100 or www.aquariumofpacific.org
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