'Naked' penguins have scientists perplexed

A mysterious ailment is causing penguins to lose their feathers, according to researchers at the Wildlife Conservation Society.

The condition, called feather-loss disorder, has been seen in penguin chicks in both sides of the Atlantic Ocean the past few years and is featured in a recent edition of the journal "Waterbirds," the release said.

While scientists don't know what could cause a penguin to go "naked," possible culprits include genetics, nutrient imbalances, thyroid disorders or pathogens.

“We need to conduct further study to determine the cause of the disorder and if this is in fact spreading to other penguin species,” Dee Boersma, who has studied Magellanic penguins, said in the release.

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Rockhopper penguins in danger on Nightingale Island

A cargo ship crash has oiled hundreds of rare rockhopper penguins on a remote Atlantic island—a ''grave environmental disaster,'' experts say.

On March 18, two days after it had run aground, the Malta-registered "M.S. Oliva broke her back in the force of a relentless swell," leaking oil that spread into an 8-mile (13-kilometer) slick.

Some 65,300 tons of unprocessed soybeans also spilled into the ocean, and the vegetables oil's impact to the sensitive marine environment are unknown. Hundreds of oiled birds are washing ashore, and a preliminary estimate suggests up to 20,000 birds may have been affected.

"The scene at Nightingale is dreadful," Trevor Glass, the conservation officer for the territory, said in a statement.

The oil spill may endanger not only penguins, but also millions of nesting seabirds and other wildlife.

Experts also warned of a "twin environmental catastrophe" if rats, which may be aboard the wrecked vessel, escape onto Nightingale Island, which is rodent free.

"If rats gain a foothold, their impact would be devastating."

Nightingale Island, part of the British territory of Tristan da Cunha, is home to 200,000 northern rockhopper penguins, half the world's population. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the bird as endangered, due to its mysteriously rapid decline in the past three decades.

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Just too cute for words

A two-week-old Little Penguin rests against a stuffed animal in an incubator at the Cincinnati Zoo, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011, in Cincinnati. The chick weighs about a quarter of a pound but is expected to weigh just over two pounds as an adult. Little Penguins are found along the coastlines of southern Australia and New Zealand. The Cincinnati Zoo is home to one of only four Little Penguin colonies in the U.S. and has successfully hatched 22 Little Penguins to date.

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The Penguin Bath House

Brothers and photographers Will and Matt Burrard-Lucas traveled from London to Saunders Island in the Falkland Islands to take pictures of albatrosses, but quickly became distracted by the irresistible antics of an amusing troop of Rockhopper penguins.

The Rockhopper Penguins form colonies of up to 100,000 in the Antarctic summer when they come ashore to lay eggs and raise their chicks.

"Along the main route between the penguin colony and the sea is this fresh water spring with a small waterfall," said Will.

This was an irresistible attraction for the penguins and throughout the day it was busy with squawking, squabbling, splashing birds.



For more of Will & Matt’s photographs from the Falkland Islands, please visit: www.burrard-lucas.com/falklands/

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Video: The Penguin Dilemma - Translation

Jim Carrey to star with penguins

Think penguin movies peaked about five years ago when March of the Penguins and Happy Feet were playing?

Hollywood believes audiences will come waddling back on Aug. 12, when 20th Century Fox releases the big-screen adaptation of the 1930s children's book Mr. Popper's Penguins, starring Jim Carrey, Angela Lansbury and a half-dozen real-life, flightless water fowl.

Audiences will be watching the real penguins for roughly half the movie. In some scenes, CGI animals were used.

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Into the Lion's Den

At a zoo in western Germany, a baby African Penguin decided to go on a little stroll through a lion's den. As reported by Der Spiegel, the tiny bird escaped its habitat and started waddling through the lion enclosure. Fortunately, the lions were asleep. Zookeepers guided the penguin to safety using a trail of herrings. The zoo doesn't usually name its penguins, but apparently bonded with this one, since they started calling it Leona.

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Photo: Allwetterzoo Münster

Penguin Gets Prosthetic Beak

Five month-old Tungo was found on a beach in Rio de Janeiro with a shattered bill that had been damaged by a boat propeller.

Discovering that he was unable to eat, vets at Rio de Janeiro zoo built him a brand-new acrylic beak, shaped from a broken piece of the original.

This is the first operation of its type on a penguin in Latin America.

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via Neatorama

Smile, it's Friday!

Source: Life
Photo: Fox Photos/Getty Images
May 01, 1937

Gay German Zoo Pair Raising Baby

Two male Humboldt penguins cautiously guard the entrance to their cave in the "Zoo am Meer" zoological park in Bremerhaven, northern Germany, where they are fostering a six weeks old penguin chick.

After a penguin egg had been abandoned by its biological parents, it was placed in the male penguins' nest, who then adopted and hatched it.

Bremerhaven zoo veterinarian Schoene said the male birds, named Z and Vielpunkt, are one of three same-sex pairs among the zoo's 20 Humboldt penguins that have attempted to mate.

AP Photo/Focke Strangmann

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On the subject of penguins

Looks like the inauguration, doesn't it?

This amazing photo was taken on South Georgia Island. The photographer says, "This is not the largest colony of king penguins on South Georgia but there were over a hundred thousand breeding pairs in this location. The brown spots are not open spaces but chicks that have not fledged."

from Flickr, by chuck12600

Take a look at it in the largest size: 3200 x 2135. Better yet, set it as your desktop wallpaper.

As cute as a sock monkey?

Might be cuter than a sock monkey ...

This instructable will walk you through the step by step creation of a Sock Penguin. This project was completed for a Grade 1 (6 year old kids) class that has been studying penguins.

Please note that no penguins were harmed in the creation of this project, however, some socks were severely damaged in the prototyping stage. Please do not use socks that still contain feet.

Note that hot glue guns can burn you. They're called "hot" for a reason. Do not let 6 year olds operate hot glue guns. Adult supervision is required. Also, do not let 6 year olds operate heavy machinery. It's just a bad plan.

(via Penguins!)

Cute or not? Gentoo penguin chick

This little cutie was born on Dec. 12 at Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas.

Today's awwww

Gentoo penguin chicks born on Dec. 12 and Dec. 19, 2008, at Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas.

Time to appreciate penguins

January 20 is Penguin Awareness Day.

Why is today Penguin Awareness day? No one knows.

What's so special about this day? No one knows.

So - celebrate in your own way ...

from Flickr, by ekpatterson

from Flickr, by moria

from Flickr, by rarewren

(via Penguins!)

Breaks are good!

Jennifer Meyer recently visited my blog & left a comment on a post which I followed back to her blog, J.L.Meyer Illustrations, where I found this very charming illustration.

Although I went SOUTH, and it isn't officially winter yet here in Chicago, that palm tree sure makes me wish I never came back! (34 degrees in Chicago today)

We've been tooling around in Florida and the Bahamas since November 7th - not much to report, except massive quantities of sunshine, margaritas, more sunshine, sandy beaches, more margaritas, too much food, some Coronas, more sunshine, some more margaritas, a little sunburn, and a little shopping.

Oh well, back to the grind ...

Internet Hoaxes: Penguins, Part Four

Claim: Many versions same premise - A child smuggles a penguin out of an amusement park.


Status: False.

Source: Snopes

Photo from Flickr, by littlepants

Internet Hoaxes: Penguins, Part Three

Claim: Penguins fall over onto their backs while trying to observe airplanes flying overhead.


Status: False.

Source: Snopes

Photo from Flickr, by mostlysunny1

Internet Hoaxes: Penguins, Part Two

Claim: Flying penguins found by BBC program.


These penguins not only take flight from the Antarctic wastes, but fly thousands of miles to the Amazonian rain forest to find winter sun.

Status: False.

Source: Telegraph

(via Penguins!)

Internet Hoaxes: Penguins, Part One

Claim: You can buy a [living] penguin on-line from penguinwarehouse.com.


Status: False.

Source: Snopes

Photo from Flickr, by Mollivan Jon