Watch: Geriatric penguins get new ‘retirement island’ at New England Aquarium
Geriatric penguins settle into new 'retirement home' at New England Aquarium
The New England Aquarium in Boston expanded their penguin habitat after "more than half" of the colony met or surpassed the species’ typical life expectancy in the wild, the aquarium said on March 12. (Credit: New England Aquarium via Storyful)
The New England Aquarium in Boston, Massachusetts, expanded its penguin habitat after "more than half" of the colony met or surpassed the species’ typical life expectancy in the wild.
"Our goal is to take a proactive approach to managing geriatric animals in an environment that better meets their physical and behavioral needs," said Kristen McMahon, the Aquarium’s Curator of Pinnipeds and Penguins.
Geriatric penguins on their new "retirement island" at the New England Aquarium in Boston. (Credit: New England Aquarium)
Living longer than expected
The backstory:
African penguins typically live between 10 and 15 years in the wild, according to the aquarium.
More than half of the penguins that are in the aquarium’s care are living far longer than that.
To accommodate their aging penguins, the aquarium created a separate island from the main penguin colony that would provide the animal care team with a bird’s eye view to easily monitor the animals.
"Careful records are kept on each penguin’s behavior, feedings, and more so that staff can quickly spot changes that might be indicative of ailments that afflict older penguins, such as foot injuries and cataracts," according to an aquarium news release.
Meet the geriatric penguins
Aquarium staff transitioned six penguins to their new island home over the past month.
- Harlequin: 32 years old
- Durban: 32 years old
- Boulders: 34 years old
- Isis: 29 years old
- Lambert: 32 years old
- Dyer: 14 years old
What they're saying:
"We think of this island like assisted living, where we’re helping the birds be more comfortable in a calmer environment," said Diana Major, Manager of Penguins.
About African penguins
Dig deeper:
African penguins are a critically endangered species, according to the aquarium.
The main threats plaguing these animals are climate change, habitat loss and pollution.
The species typically lives on the coasts of South Africa and Namibia.
These penguins, like many others, enjoy eating small fish such as anchovies, sardines and horse mackerel.
They can grow to be between 23 and 25 inches tall and can weigh five to nine pounds.
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from The New England Aquarium in Boston and Storyful. This story was reported from Los Angeles.