More random thoughts about bartending
11 years ago
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Born in Ballaugh: Baby Penguin Thrives at Wildlife Park
Date Posted: 14/08/2009 17:01:00
Posted By: Liz Corlett
Born in Ballaugh: Baby Penguin Thrives at Wildlife Park
Visitors to Curraghs Wildlife Park today (Friday 14th August) were treated to views of the latest arrival, a Humboldt penguin chick, hatched on 15th June this year.
Richard Halsall, Animal Manager at the Curraghs Wildlife Park, said, “This is the first penguin chick we have had in many years at the Park.
"Although we think the chick is now too big to fall victim to a seagull or heron, we’re not out of the woods yet and we’ll have to teach it to take sprats from us when the parents stop feeding it.
"It’s always a great pleasure to see new young animals at the Wildlife Park and all the staff are thrilled at this latest success.”
The Humboldt penguins’ exhibit is located in the Pampas area, one of seven geographical areas represented at the park. Humboldt Penguins rear their chicks in burrows and they don’t begin to wander around outside until they are about 6 to 8 weeks old.
Wildlife Park General Manager, Mr Nick Pinder, commented, “It is anticipated that as the chick gains in confidence it will spend more and more time outside its burrow, allowing the Wildlife Park’s many visitors, residents and holiday-makers alike, to get excellent views.
"We’ll start supplementary feeding soon but outside the advertised hours for the public feeding of the penguins so that we do not upset them.”
If you would like to see the new penguin chick for yourself, Curraghs Wildlife Park is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
Source:
http://www.isleofman.com/news/article.aspx?article=18517&area=2
Image of the Day
What a view! These penguins live at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, UK. This is prime real estate! I could definitely live with this location!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Bald penguin given wetsuit to prevent sunburn
Bald penguin given wetsuit to prevent sunburn
Unlike all his fellow Humboldt penguins, who lose their old feathers over a few weeks to make way for a fresh set, Ralph's fell out in just one day.
And with nothing to protect him from the weather he was at risk of severe sun burn.
He faced spending a depressing three weeks indoors, away from his group and his young chicks.
But keepers took pity on him and fashioned his own wetsuit from the leg of a suit which was donated by a member of staff's husband.
The nine-year-old penguin couldn't be happier with his new clothes, which have caused a stir at his enclosure in Marwell Wildlife, near Winchester, Hants.
Helen Jeffreys, from Marwell Wildlife, said: "Ralph's really taken to his new suit, he's doing really well.
"He doesn't really seem to notice the difference - he's swimming around the enclosure with all the other penguins as usual.
"It's not inhibiting him in any way and it's not bothering him. He's just getting on with his daily business.
"All the other penguins, on the other hand, were intrigued by his new clothes they spent a good while checking him out.
"But when they realised it was still Ralph under the suit they seemed quite happy and don't really pay it any attention anymore."
When penguins moult over a period of around three weeks every year their old feathers are replaced with a new, clean set.
But Ralph has baffled keepers by losing all his feathers in just one day, leaving him strangely bald apart from his head.
David White, who is assistant manager of Penguin World at Marwell, said he and colleagues thought about covering Ralph in suncream before hitting on the wetsuit idea.
Mr White, 31, said: "We noticed he was getting pink and feared suncream would just wash off so we decided to try to make him a wetsuit.
"We used the leg of a man's wetsuit and cut a holes in it for his head and wings.
"It works really well. We thought he would try to peck it off but Ralph seems to love it.
"He's been bombing around in it and acting like a normal penguin, although the others have been giving him a few odd looks. I think they might actually want one now.
"It's certainly a strange sight and Ralph must be the first scuba penguin but he seems so at ease that we've been thinking maybe we should get him a mask and snorkel as well.
"Ralph is perfectly healthy so we don't know why his feathers all drop out at once.
"If we hadn't come up with the wetsuit we would have had to keep him inside to stop him burning.
"That would have made him really miserable because penguins are such sociable creatures. This way he can happily mess around with the rest of the group."
Ralph will now wear his suit for around three weeks while his new feathers grow.
Miss Jeffreys added: "Ralph was so bald he was at real risk of getting sunburned on a sunny day.
"In the past the keepers have kept him indoors for around three weeks until his new feathers have come through.
"But that wasn't any fun for him. He couldn't be with his group and this year he's got two chicks to look after so we just couldn't separate them.
"One of the keepers had the idea of making him his very own wetsuit.
"The material is perfect because it allowed him to go into the water and it's flexible so he could still use his flippers and allow him to have a scratch.
"The keepers didn't have any trouble getting the suit on him - Ralph didn't mind at all."
Visitors are already flocking in to his enclosure to see Ralph parading around.
Miss Jeffreys said: "All the visitors are fascinated by Ralph's clothes - he's causing a bit of a stir.
"He's the only one out of 30 penguins with a special suit so he certainly stands out.
"We get lots of questions from them - they want to know what he's wearing and why or ask if he's a new breed!
"Everyone has commented on how cute he looks. He's certainly become a favourite and I think he'll become a bit of a star now."
Humboldt penguins are native to South America, breeding in coastal Peru and Chile.
They can live for around 30 years in captivity.
Source:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6020875/Bald-penguin-given-wetsuit-to-prevent-sunburn.html
Penguins to be auctioned off Friday
Penguins to be auctioned off Friday
Posted by Geeky Swedes on August 13th, 2009
Those penguins that have been “marching” around Seattle are going to be auctioned off. The 30 penguins, including the “Dorothy Parker Penguin” that Laura Bee Designs created, have been migrating through north Seattle for more than two months. This Friday during the monthly Art Up Greenwood-Phinney art walk, the Greenwood Collective (8537 Greenwood Ave N, Suite 1) will be hosting the silent auction from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Bidding closes at 8 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. All money raised will benefit the Woodland Park Zoo’s field conservation program.
Source:
http://www.myballard.com/2009/08/13/penguins-to-be-auctioned-off-friday/
Woodland Park Zoo penguin dies
Woodland Park Zoo penguin dies
One of the Humboldt penguins in Woodland Park Zoo's new exhibit has died after a brief illness, the zoo disclosed Thursday.
By Charles E. Brown
Seattle Times staff reporter
One of the Humboldt penguins in Woodland Park Zoo's new exhibit has died, the zoo disclosed Thursday.
A zoo spokeswoman said the penguin had swallowed bits of sealant used in a concealed pipe in the exhibit's pool. Zoo vets said the 18-year-old male penguin had lost its normal appetite and was being treated for what was believed to be an intestinal blockage.
Pathology results within the next week or two may help determine the cause of death.
The zoo had received the penguin, one of nearly two dozen in the exhibit's penguin colony, in March from Chicago's Brookfield Zoo.
Source:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009658657_webpenguin14m.html
One of the Humboldt penguins in Woodland Park Zoo's new exhibit has died after a brief illness, the zoo disclosed Thursday.
By Charles E. Brown
Seattle Times staff reporter
One of the Humboldt penguins in Woodland Park Zoo's new exhibit has died, the zoo disclosed Thursday.
A zoo spokeswoman said the penguin had swallowed bits of sealant used in a concealed pipe in the exhibit's pool. Zoo vets said the 18-year-old male penguin had lost its normal appetite and was being treated for what was believed to be an intestinal blockage.
Pathology results within the next week or two may help determine the cause of death.
The zoo had received the penguin, one of nearly two dozen in the exhibit's penguin colony, in March from Chicago's Brookfield Zoo.
Source:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009658657_webpenguin14m.html
Image of the Day
King penguins eat small fish and squid and regularly dive to 100m and up to 200m on foraging trips.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Image of the Day
This New Zealand fiordland crested penguin and its 2 companions are the only ones in captivity.
Bay of Plenty penguin deaths natural
Bay of Plenty penguin deaths natural
Published: 1:08PM Thursday August 13, 2009
Source: Newstalk ZB
Bay of Plenty people are being assured that small blue penguins found dying on Western Bay beaches aren't being poisoned, the deaths are natural.
DOC staff says the large number of dead penguins washing up has concerned both the public and the authorities.
Tauranga's Chris Clark says the high mortality rate is unfortunate, but natural, as the birds get caught in stormy seas and die.
He says tests carried out, prompted by the Auckland beach scare have determined the death are the result of starvation and parasites.
Source:
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/bay-plenty-penguin-deaths-natural-2913517
Published: 1:08PM Thursday August 13, 2009
Source: Newstalk ZB
Bay of Plenty people are being assured that small blue penguins found dying on Western Bay beaches aren't being poisoned, the deaths are natural.
DOC staff says the large number of dead penguins washing up has concerned both the public and the authorities.
Tauranga's Chris Clark says the high mortality rate is unfortunate, but natural, as the birds get caught in stormy seas and die.
He says tests carried out, prompted by the Auckland beach scare have determined the death are the result of starvation and parasites.
Source:
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/bay-plenty-penguin-deaths-natural-2913517
Dudley Zoological Gardens in the UK Installs Penguin Cam
Dudley Zoological Gardens in the UK Installs Penguin Cam
West Midlands, UK – Visitors to Dudley Zoological Gardens in the UK can enjoy a bird’s eye view of one of the site’s endangered species thanks to a new hi-tech Penguin Cam.
A camera has been set up in the enclosure housing the attraction’s colony of 70 Humboldt’s penguins, with live video footage being relayed on to a screen in the Discovery Centre. Set up by web-cam installation company Finetra, the camera monitors the activities of the birds 24 hours a day. The camera can also be moved around the enclosure for a different view of the penguins comings and goings. DZG Marketing Manager Julia Lockett said the zoo had spent £3,000 setting up the hi-tech system. She said: The penguins are always popular with our visitors as they are very active, and the web-cam helps the public get closer to them. The intention is to eventually put the camera in one of the nest boxes so people can see penguin chicks hatching. It can also be used by keepers to monitor the behaviour of pregnant animals in the days leading up to, and after, the birth to make sure everything goes smoothly. * A surprise email from a teacher in Canada prompted DZG staff to fix the webcam in record time when it suffered a technical fault last week.
Julia Lockett said: We lost the link for a couple of days but when we received an email from a school in Ontario saying DZG’s penguin cam had become daily viewing for the schoolchildren and asking for it to be reinstated before they broke up for summer holidays, we pulled out all the stops to get it sorted. The letter, from Charlotte Cornell, of Eastwood Public School, said: The students were so excited to see our penguin friends on the last day of school. I even had ten students stay in during recess so that they could sit and watch for a little longer!
Every penguin movement brings squeals of excitement from these students, many of whom have never been to a zoo. Many students have also gone to your website at home to check out the penguins during feeding times. She added: I teach library and media literacy skills to grade 1-4 students and several of them have done extra research on penguins. They are so proud to share extra facts that they have learned with our classes. It is websites like yours that get students involved and excited about learning as well as fostering a love of animals. Photo caption: Curator Matt Lewis catches up on the latest moves at DZG with Penguin Cam.
Source:
http://www.blogwebcam.com/webcam-directory/dudley-zoological-gardens-in-the-uk-installs-penguin-cam
Cam URL:
http://www.123-cams.com/travel-10386-Webcam-England-Dudley-Zoological-Gardens-Penguin-Cam.html
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Image of the Day
From Wikipedia:
The Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) is the smallest species of penguin being about 43 cm (16 in) tall. It is found on the coastlines of southern Australia and New Zealand, with possible records from Chile.
They have several common names. In Australia, they are referred to as Fairy Penguins because of their tiny size. In New Zealand, they are called Little Blue Penguins, or just Blue Penguins, owing to their indigo-blue plumage, and they are called Kororā in Māori.
The Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) is the smallest species of penguin being about 43 cm (16 in) tall. It is found on the coastlines of southern Australia and New Zealand, with possible records from Chile.
They have several common names. In Australia, they are referred to as Fairy Penguins because of their tiny size. In New Zealand, they are called Little Blue Penguins, or just Blue Penguins, owing to their indigo-blue plumage, and they are called Kororā in Māori.
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