Image of the Day

Macaroni Penguins with the MS Explorer, originally uploaded by mgsbird.

The ship in the background is the MS Explorer, which sank last year. It appears now, in this pic, rather like a ghost ship.

Lehigh Valley Zoo Welcomes Penguins

They "marched" into town. And today, eight African penguins were put on display at the Lehigh Valley Zoo. WFMZ's Joscelyn Moes has the story.
Reporter Sometimes you just need a minute to take it all in...
...The sights.
Reporter The sounds. With the bravest birds out first...
Reporter the rest of the flustered flock followed... waddling right into the water... happy feet first.
Look it. They're trying to swim in the jet.
Reporter The eight tuxedo-clad creatures are as unique as their names... Thabo, Thulani, Greer, Quinn, Lyden, Kunyue, Curtis, and Houdini...
MOS They're so cute.
Reporter making for one "magical" bunch of birds.
MOS They're very squirmy and fun.
MOS I didn't know they were gonna swim like this they're kinda like ducks.
Reporter Ducks... they are not.
Nat: Do they walk? I'd like to see this.
Reporter The Lehigh Valley Zoo acquired the African penguins from zoos all across the country.
Stacey Johnson It's a kind of species what we call a charismatic species...
Stacey Johnson that everybody is just excited about right now.
Reporter The penguin push started more than a year ago...
Standup This was their first day in the water and already you can see they look right at home.
Reporter The swimming sensations stuck pretty close together in their 60,000 gallon penguin pool, making quite a splash with visitors marching in.

At the Lehigh Valley Zoo, Joscelyn Moes, 69 News.
http://wfmz.com/view/?id=591682

Bush Admin Denies Endangered Species Protection for Emperor Penguins!

For Immediate Release, December 17, 2008

Contact: Brendan Cummings, Center for Biological Diversity, (951) 768-8301

Bush Administration Denies Endangered Species Act Protection for
Emperor Penguin; Ice-Dependent Species Imperiled by Global Warming
Seven Other Penguin Species Proposed for Listing As Threatened

SAN FRANCISCO— The Bush administration today denied protection for the emperor penguin under the Endangered Species Act. The emperor penguin, the most ice-dependant of all penguin species, is threatened by global warming and the consequent loss of its sea-ice habitat, as well as declining food availability wrought by the warming ocean off Antarctica. Today’s decision, made by the Department of the Interior in response to a petition and lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity , concluded that global warming impacts were too “uncertain” to warrant protecting the species. The Administration also denied protection for two other penguin species, while proposing protection for seven other species.

“Right now penguins are marching towards extinction due to the impacts of global warming,” said Shaye Wolf, a seabird biologist with the Center for Biological Diversity. “Protecting penguins under the Endangered Species Act is an essential step toward saving them. For the species proposed for listing, today’s decision is an important step forward. However, for the emperor penguin, it is a step closer to extinction.”

In today’s decision, to be published in Thursday’s Federal Register, the African penguin, yellow-eyed penguin, white-flippered penguin, Fiordland crested penguin, Humboldt penguin, and erect-crested penguin were proposed for listing as threatened species. The Administration also proposed listing of a portion of the range of the southern rockhopper penguin. However, the Interior Department denied listing for the majority of the range of the southern rockhopper penguin, as well as for the northern rockhopper penguin, macaroni penguin, and emperor penguin.

Abnormally warm ocean temperatures and diminished sea ice have wreaked havoc on the penguins’ foods supply. Less food has led to population declines in penguin species ranging from the southern rockhopper and Humboldt penguins of the islands off South America, and the African penguin in southern Africa, to the emperor penguin in Antarctica. The ocean conditions causing these declines have been linked by scientists to global warming and are projected to intensify in the coming decades.

Krill, an essential food source not just for penguins but also for whales and seals, has declined by as much as 80 percent since the 1970s over large areas of the Southern Ocean. Scientists have linked the ocean conditions causing these declines to global warming and loss of sea ice. The emperor penguin colony at Pointe Geologie, featured in the film “ March of the Penguins,” has declined by more than 50 percent due to global warming.

Many penguin species also are harmed by industrial fisheries, either directly, such as when individual penguins are caught and killed in trawls, nets and longlines; or indirectly, through the depletion of essential prey species such as anchovy and krill. Overfishing by industrial fishing fleets plays a prominent role in the hit movie “Happy Feet,” which features two of the species denied protection today, the emperor and rockhopper penguins.

Listing under the Endangered Species Act will provide broad protection to these penguins, including a requirement that federal agencies ensure that any action carried out, authorized, or funded by the U.S. government will not “jeopardize the continued existence” of the penguin species. For example, if penguins are listed, future approval of fishing permits for U.S.-flagged vessels operating on the high seas would require analysis and minimization of impacts on the listed penguins. The Act also has an important role to play in reducing greenhouse gas pollution by compelling federal agencies to look at the impact of the emissions generated by their activities on listed species and to adopt solutions to reduce them.

The Center for Biological Diversity filed a petition in November 2006 to list 12 penguin species as threatened or endangered. Ultimately, the Department of Interior initiated status reviews of 10 of 12 penguin species, but only issued today’s findings under court order. The agency has one year to finalize the listing decision for the seven penguins proposed for listing. The decision to deny protection for the emperor, rockhopper and macaroni penguins can be challenged in court.

“Penguin populations are in jeopardy and we can’t afford to further delay protections,” said Brendan Cummings, oceans program director at the Center. “The denial of protection for the emperor penguin ignores the science on global warming and ignores the law. We are confident it will be overturned by either the courts or the new administration.”

For more information on penguins and a link to the federal petition, please see: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/birds/penguins/index.html

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national nonprofit conservation organization with 200,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

# # #

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2008/penguins-12-16-2008.html

Image of the Day

penguin, originally uploaded by Foot Slogger.

This New Zealand fiordland crested penguin and its 2 companions are the only ones in captivity.

It's' Chick Time

It's Baby Penguin Time At SeaWorld


Monday, December 15, 2008 11:43:05 PM
SeaWorld Orlando Penguins


ORLANDO -- It's baby time at SeaWorld with the birth of some baby penguins.

The staff at SeaWorld's Penguin Encounter have their hands full this holiday season with nearly two dozen of chicks.

SeaWorld is home to more than 200 penguins, including 24-day-old and 12-day-old Magellanic penguins and an 8-day-old rockhopper there on your right.

Story credit: Channel 13 (Central Florida) News @

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2008/12/15/it39s_baby_penguin_time_at_seaworld.html?refresh=1

ShortBlurb---There's a Lesson Here to be Learned. :)

Members of the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department reported a male suspect was in front of the fire station on North Washington Street and was having an altercation with an inflatable penguin just before 2 a.m. Saturday, police said.

The male, Kristopher Manick, was allegedly found to be highly intoxicated, police said. He was arrested and cited for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct, police said.

Times Leader via web blog @
http://www.pensburgh.com/2008/12/16/694582/never-fight-the-inflatable

Update on Gay Penguins

They're daddies!
Gay penguins given own eggs to care for at Polar Land zoo in Harbin, northern China.

Penguins caught stealing eggs from straight couples in an attempt to become fathers have been given their own to look after following protests.

Zoo keepers moved the male birds away from the rest of the penguins to avoid problems as hatching season approaches.

But angry visitors to Polar Land in China complained it was not fair for the males to stop becoming surrogate fathers.

Following the protests, zookeepers gave the pair two eggs laid by an inexperienced first-time mother.

"They've turned out to be the best parents in the whole zoo," on zoo keeper said.

"We will try to arrange for them to become real parents themselves with artificial insemination."

Despite being gay, it is understood the three-year-old male birds are still driven by an urge to be fathers.

Posted: December 16, 2008 at 9:15 am
By: Perez Hilton.com
At: http://perezhilton.com/2008-12-16-headline-of-the-week-weak-303

A Wonderful Discovery!

Penguin guarding its egg, originally uploaded by udderlyjodi.

Once in a great while, something comes along that reaffirms that good writing is not on the endangered species list (such as some of our penguins). Once in a while, that good writer emerges from the fold and by the telling of a fictional tale, a great truth is revealed. Such is the case with John Yunker.

John contacted me a few days ago, and humbly offered his story for me to read. I had planned to scan it, as these days, a literary penguin has much to do, but I found myself immersed in the plot and the technique. I could not stop reading; goodness, but I haven't seen writing like this in a very long time. You all, my readers, will be just as pleased as I was and still am.

The short story, as you may have guessed, concerns our character as a response to a need that necessitates sacrifice. Do we do our part? Is it enough? Shouldn't we do more? What stops us? Fear of change or fear of our inner selves? Can we assume the burden of protection for smaller lives? So many questions---all raised within one short story. If this penguin was still teaching, all of her chicks would be reading this story; indeed, the story won the Phoebe 2008 Fiction Prize and that's quite an honor.

So, without further ado, I present you with three links: the first link is to the .pdf of the story, which you can download and read at your leisure, the second link is to John's blog, and the last link is to Dr. Boersma's site. Once you read the story, you'll understand the validity of including the last one.

1. The Tourist Trail by John Yonker HERE

2. John's blog is HERE

3. Dr. Boersma's Site, for Penguin Research at Punta Tombo, is HERE

Let's hope that a publisher realizes what a find John is, as this short story has all the makings of a great novel for our time. And lastly, John--keep us updated on what's happening with you. I'm sure your new and ever growing fanbase will be very appreciative. :)

~~~~~~ wiinterrr~~~~~~

Image of the Day

Baby Rockhopper Penguin - Tristan, originally uploaded by *Debs*.

I think he is closing his eyes and praying for his blonde highlights to sprout :o)
This adorable Rockhopper - born Spring 2008--the first in approximately 5 years....the Zoo calls him Tristan..

(Unfortunately the poster did not include the zoo where Tristan resides~~~wiinterrr)

Image of the Day

Magellanic Penguin at Caleta Valdes, originally uploaded by manning999.

Original poster's comment:
There was a small penguin colony at Caleta Valdes. The lookout has a rope barrier to prevent people from wandering downhill towards the beach. So, only a handful of penguins were close to the barrier to allow for decent close-ups.

wiinterrr's note---thank the powers that be for that rope. Eco-tourism is a great boon for public awareness of the penguin's plight, but let's face it, we have to ensure that those penguins are protected, even from well meaning touristas. The new boardwalk built at Punta Tombo is a compromise that works, and the best for penguin and human is maintained. Kudos to Dr. Boersma for her work there.

Image of the Day

Humboldt penguin, originally uploaded by PetWerewolf.

This Week's Pencognito!

Join Jen and all the pengies HERE