MONTREAL, May 1, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The team at the Biodme, a Space for Life, and its colony of gentoo penguins are happy to be celebrating the 33rd birthday of the oldest living gentoo penguin in North America. Our gentoo penguin was born on May 1, 1979 at the Edinburgh Zoo. She has beaten all longevity records, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) studbook. a record of the genealogy and locations of all individuals in this species in captivity in North America. To mark the milestone in style, the penguins donned their tuxedos while the keepers prepared a special three-layer birthday cake of fresh and frozen krill and fish. A hungry penguin couldn't ask for anything more!
Our birthday girl is rather shy, though, and she just stuck to her routine rather than sampling her gift. She did eat one or two fresh fish, but seemed happier hunting for pebbles for her nest, defending her territory from a somewhat pushy neighbour and exchanging greetings and caresses with her partner.
She left the United Kingdom for the Montral Aquarium shortly after she was born, in 1980, and moved to the Biodme in 1992. Like all the penguins she has been a faithful partner, remaining with her young 19-year old male companion since 2000. They have had three chicks.
She has a few health concerns, naturally, in view of her advanced age, but nothing terribly serious: cataracts and arthritis, afflictions common to many elderly animals. She gets an annual check-up, pedicure and beak trim, keeping her in good health.
At first sight there is nothing to distinguish our doyenne from the other penguins, except that she moves around a bit more slowly. In fact it is hard to tell the individuals in a colony apart, as males and females are identical, with their black heads and the little white spot above their eyes.
Gentoo penguins in the Antarctic Ocean generally live 15 to 20 years. Their life expectancy goes up to the thirties in captivity, given their more "laid-back" lifestyle because of the lack of predators and food stress, along with veterinary care and constant attention from the keepers.
Since the Biodme opened in 1992, the penguins have always been among visitors' favourites. And right now these polar birds, like their cousins from temperate and tropical climes, are in the spotlight at the Biodme, as our Bird Fest is in full flight until May21. It's a great opportunity for visitors to test their bird identification skills and get a close-up look at birds of prey during weekends in May.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwbx5SBvluU
The Montral Space for Life, which brings together the Biodme, Botanical Garden, Insectarium and Planetarium, is launching a daring, creative urban movement, urging everyone to rethink the bonds between humankind and nature. The Space for Life is also a place where people come together to create and to cultivate a new way of living, shaped by Montrealers and people from around the world.
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A New Record for Longevity at the Space for Life! - A Female Gentoo Penguin Turns 33
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