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5 Ways to Help Wild Penguins
Penguins are loved the world over, and it’s no wonder why; their pudgy forms; their waddling gait; their fluffy chicks. But it’s not all happy feet in the wild. Of the 18 recognized penguin species, 11 of them are listed as Vulnerable or Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Conservationists fear that, if no change is made, some species could go extinct as early as 2035.
It’s easy to feel hopeless in the face of such somber news. However, there’s still a lot that penguin lovers can do to help. Here are 5 Ways to Help Wild Penguins.
1.) Reduce Waste
Pollution is a big problem for penguins. Not only does climate change affect their food supply, but plastics in the water supply can injure them or make them sick.
You can help by:
- limiting your use of single-use plastics (grocery bags, water bottles, food packaging, etc)
- carpooling or taking public transportation
- volunteering for a beach or river cleanup
2.) Eat Sustainably
Commercial fishing has a big impact on wild penguins. Overfishing depletes their food supply. Penguins can become entangled in improperly disposed of nets or fishing line.
You can help by:
- consulting a sustainable seafood guide, such as Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch
- joining the Penguin Heroes Challenge and pledging to make a change in your diet
3.) Donate to reputable organizations
If you can manage it, donating to reputable conservation organizations is a great way to help wild penguins. Many zoos and aquariums offer programs where you can interact with resident penguins, with portions of the proceeds going to penguin conservation.
Some of my favorite penguin organizations include:
- Penguins International
- Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB)
- Penguin Rehab & Release
- Punta San Juan Program
4.) Make your voice heard
Some of the measures that make the most impact on penguins are those taken by our political leaders. Let them know that you care about the environment and protecting wild penguins.
You can make your voice heard by:
- Writing a letter to your government officials to tell them the importance of protecting the environment
- Supporting policies that address the dangers of climate change
5.) Spread the word
January 20th may be Penguin Awareness Day, but spreading awareness is important throughout the year. The more people that are aware of the issues wild penguins face, the more we can make a difference.
Spread the news by:
- Sharing your penguin-saving efforts on social media
- Telling your friends and family about how they can help penguins
- Downloading my free Penguin Awareness Day coloring sheet
Bringing in the New Year at Echizen Matsushima Aquarium
Holidays always make me think of travel, whether driving to my grandparents’ house as a child or flying to far away cities when I got older. This year, as 2023 drew to a close, my husband and I hopped on a train and headed up north.
Echizen Matsushima Aquarium is located on the coast of Fukui Prefecture, overlooking the Sea of Japan. Opened in 1959, it definitely bears a dated look, but there is a certain charm to the facilities and you can tell that they are trying their best.
My husband and I arrived just in time for the King Penguin walk. It was a rainy afternoon, but eager spectators of all ages clustered under umbrellas to watch as three regal looking birds emerged from the penguin house, wings spread, and confidently strutted in front of the crowd.
Decorations had been set up for the New Year festivities, and the penguins waddled through a red torii gate before curiously approaching a tiny shrine. As the penguins investigated the little building or waddled about, sometimes raising their heads to drink rain water, a zookeeper spoke to the crowd. After several minutes and numerous photos, the penguins passed back through the torii and returned to the penguin house.
A special penguin omikuji vending machine had been set up outside of the penguin house. I inserted a 100 yen coin and watched in delight as the mechanical Humboldt penguin disappeared through a set of doors, much like a cuckoo clock, then returned with a rolled up slip of paper. I eagerly unrolled my fortune. Kichi! I received blessing, a good result indeed.
The Echizen Matsushima Aquarium has two separate penguin exhibits, one each for cold and warm weather penguins. After visiting with the King, Gentoo and Rockhoppers, we went to see the Humboldt penguin exhibit. A heart-shaped “skyway” extends out from the main exhibit, which you can walk beneath to observe the penguins swimming. I enjoyed the various penguin murals painted around the exhibit.
Naturally, before we left we had to visit the gift shop. I always forget to take photos of gift shops, because I’m just too occupied with browsing! The Echizen Matsushima Aquarium has a wide variety of penguin goods I hadn’t seen elsewhere, and I walked away with a cute keychain set of mother and child Humboldt penguins.
While not a big, modern aquarium, Echizen Matsushima Aquarium has a unique feel coupled with a beautiful view of the ocean. The staff were kind and helpful and their care is evident throughout. If you’re in Fukui, I recommend a visit.
On January 1st, 2024, just a day after my visit to the aquarium, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck north-central Japan, triggering tsunami warnings for the Sea of Japan coast. The following day, the Echizen Matsushima Aquarium website announced that there has been no damage to any staff or animals. My thoughts are with the people affected by this disaster.
Echizen Matsushima Aquarium website (English translation available)
Suita Penguin Bazaar
I always enjoy the Penguin Bazaar. Penguin lovers from all over Japan gather to purchase penguin goods made by local artists.
This Bazaar is being held in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, a city known for hosting the Expo ‘70 world’s fair. The market takes place at Glacier Concorde, a cozy, penguin themed cafe specializing in gelato.
It’s always difficult deciding what to buy! I finally chose a cute stuffed Magellanic penguin, a postcard of local landmarks (penguin style) and several button badges, including the official event buttons.
The Suita Penguin Bazaar goes through Sunday, November 26th.
How Penguin Adoption Can Save Lives
How does the old song go? “I want a hippopotamus little penguin for Christmas”? Unfortunately penguins don’t make very good pets (and in many places that would be illegal). However, you can still adopt a penguin for Christmas, birthdays, or any day in between. Symbolic Adoptions are a popular way for rescue and conservation organizations to support their missions.
I spoke to Emma, the Adoptions Officer at Penguin Rehab & Release in Burnie, Australia. A registered charity, Penguin Rehab & Release takes in sick and injured Little penguins (and other seabirds) and nurses them back to health before returning them to the wild. “Rehabilitating penguins is very expensive,” says Emma. “And we are in constant need of fundraising, so our adoption programme fills a very vital role.”
“For you, it is $30. For a penguin, it is a week’s worth of food and medication.”
Found in Australia and New Zealand, Little penguins are aptly named— standing at just 13 inches tall (33 cm), they are the smallest of the penguin species. According to Emma, “penguins come into care for various reasons such as injury, illness, and misadventure.” Penguin Rehab & Release works with many organizations and veterinarians in the area to rescue and care for the birds.
But caring for penguins isn’t cheap. The main expenses are veterinary care, medications, and fish— penguins can eat a lot! Says Emma, “We are only able to continue to operate and continue to take birds into care by fundraising, so the financial support of adoptions really is vital.”
Luckily, adoption is easy. Simply make a $30 AUD donation to Penguin Rehab & Release either through Paypal or direct money transfer, then email them with the details.
What do adopters get, other than the knowledge of helping penguins in need? “Adopters receive a digital certificate with their name on it and they are thanked for their support on future social media updates of their adopted penguin.” Emma explains, then adds with a smile, “They also receive warm and fuzzy feelings.”
If you’re still on the fence about adopting a penguin, be sure to visit the Penguin Rehab & Release Facebook page, where they regularly post photos and stories about the penguins. You can read about Cliff, who could barely stand upon admission to the center, but who now acts as a role model to the younger penguins. Then there’s Tib, who was traumatically abused as a young penguin but is slowly learning to trust again — with help from some tasty fish.
“Donations received through our adoption programme really do make a difference,” Emma emphasizes. “For you, it is $30. For a penguin, it is a week’s worth of food and medication.”
So why not give the gift of penguins this holiday season?
To learn more about Penguin Rehab & Release, visit their website.
Character Spotlight: The Penguins of Sumikko Gurashi
Most people know of Hello Kitty, the bow wearing cat who can be found on everything from coloring books to designer bags. In Japan, such brands are popular; characters made not for a cartoon but for merchandising (although they may later earn a movie or book series). These characters often have distinct personalities, their life stories told through theme sets, animated shorts and comic collections. For our purposes, the characters I would like to focus on are called Sumikko Gurashi.
Translating to “Life in the Corner”, the Sumikkos (as they’re called) are a varied group of animals, foods and even household items who prefer life, well, “in the corner”, often huddled together or stacked like totem poles. Like many of these merchandise characters, the Sumikkos are intended to be genderless. A character may wear a dress in one storyline, and a tuxedo the next. The cast of characters is large and ever growing, but of the core five my favorite character is Penguin?.
Penguin?
As their name might suggest, Penguin? suffers from an identity crisis. Who ever heard of a green penguin, and why do they remember a plate on their head?1 Their storylines often deal with a wish to belong. In the first Sumikko Gurashi movie, The Unexpected Picture Book and the Secret Child, Penguin? develops a strong friendship with Hiyoko?, a young chick without friends or family. (The first movie made me sob in my husband’s arms. I highly recommend it.)
Penguin (Real)
One of the supporting characters? Penguin (Real) is, you guessed it, a real penguin, and when they first met the other Sumikkos, there was tension between Penguin (Real) and Penguin?. In time, Penguin? overcame their jealousy, and the two became friends. Penguin (Real) likes fish, enjoys travelling, and dreams of opening an Ice Cream Van.
Sumikko Gurashi is quite popular in Japan, to the point of having frequent collaborations with train companies and restaurants. Sumikkos have even been named ambassadors for various organizations. Their third movie, The Mysterious Child of the Makeshift Factory, will be released to theaters in Japan on November 3rd— and I plan to see it!
Sumikko Gurashi wiki (English)
Sumikko Gurashi The Movie: The Mysterious Child of the Makeshift Factory (Japanese))
- In Japanese folklore, the kappa is a turtle-like aquatic creature with a “dish” on their head that is filled with water. They are usually green and often shown to be fond of cucumbers… just like Penguin? ↩︎
6 Ways to Learn More About African Penguins
African penguins once numbered in the millions. Research now suggests that they could go extinct by the year 2035. On October 14th, African Penguin Awareness Day, we shine a spotlight on these endangered birds in an effort to ensure their survival.
In the spirit of Awareness, I’ve put together a list of 6 great ways to learn more about African penguins.
READ
The Great Penguin Rescue: 40,000 Penguins, a Devastating Oil Spill, and the Inspiring Story of the World’s Largest Animal Rescue by Dyan deNapoli
This is an autobiographical account of the MV Treasure oil spill in 2000, which affected over 20,000 African penguins. The book is both heartbreaking and heartwarming as penguin experts from around the globe team up with scores of volunteers to save a species. I recommend the audiobook, which is narrated by Dyan deNapoli herself, a talented public speaker known to many as “The Penguin Lady”.
The Great Penguin Rescue: Saving the African Penguins by Sandra Markle
Not to be confused with the memoir by Dyan deNapoli, this children’s nonfiction picture book provides a broad view of the struggles African penguins have faced and the actions people have taken to address them. With engaging photos and intriguing facts, this book is sure to inspire compassion in every reader.
The Great Penguin Rescue: Saving the African Penguins (Amazon)
WATCH
Penguin Town produced by Red Rock Films
Narrated by Patton Oswalt, this playful documentary series portrays the sometimes troubled coexistence between African penguins and people in Simon’s Town, South Africa. True to nature, there are some scenes of penguins in peril, so sensitive viewers be warned. That said, it’s a fascinating account of what happens when civilization and wildlife collides, and there are plenty of heartwarming scenes and adorable baby penguins.
White Gold directed by Katrin Baum
This short but poignant documentary focuses on the impact that guano harvesting has had on Humboldt and African penguin colonies. Created in partnership with Penguins International, this film details the complicated history of guano as both a penguin nesting source and a fertilizer for crops, and highlights the steps being taken toward penguin conservation.
White Gold (YouTube)
White Gold 2 (YouTube)
VISIT
SANCCOB
Perhaps most well known for their involvement in oil spill rescues, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) runs public tours at their Cape Town and Gqeberha locations in South Africa. Visitors will go behind the scenes at a functioning seabird rescue and rehabilitation facility, and maybe even get to see a baby penguin being fed. SANCCOB has worked for decades on protecting and preserving African penguins, so you can rest assured that your tour will be educational and meaningful.
An Accredited Zoo or Aquarium
In recent years, reputable zoos and aquariums have been at the forefront of wildlife research and education. In 2015, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) developed AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction, with African penguins being one of their key species. By visiting AZA organizations, you support their conservation efforts, including artificial nest box projects, tagging and identification projects, and disaster preparedness programs. At many zoos or aquariums, such as the Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky, you can even participate in a Penguin Encounter, allowing you to go face to face with African penguins in an intimate, educational setting.
AZA Accredited Zoos and Aquariums list
It’s hard to deny that African penguins are in trouble. The first step is education. So whether your choose to cozy up with a book or take a trip to your nearest aquarium, why not learn some more about African penguins today? And maybe invite a friend or two.
My Very Penguin Wedding
I was never the type of girl to plan out my wedding. I was much too busy writing stories and drawing. When the time finally came that I became engaged, I knew one thing: there would be penguins.
Unfortunately, my dream wedding at the aquarium was way beyond our budget, and even hiring a penguin as a special guest was out of reach. I’m a creative person. I improvised, starting with custom invitations featuring hand-drawn penguins. As wedding planning progressed, I found more ways to sneak penguins into the decorations.
Instead of table numbers, each table was named for a penguin species, with hand painted signs. Adelie, Humboldt, Fiordland, Gentoo, and of course the head table was King.
My fiance, for his part, had long gotten used to being surrounded by penguins. He did ask for a little bit of his own personality in the decorations. And that was how our cake ended up being topped by a penguin bride and a Totoro groom.
The finishing touch was his idea — our rings are in the shape of feathers.
The end result? An elegant reception with subtle hints of penguin. After all, I’m not one to go overboard.
What? Stop laughing!
The Cincinnati Zoo: A Paradise for Penguins
Growing up in southern Ohio, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens was one of my favorite places to visit. Not just a beautiful, sprawling campus filled with fascinating animals, the Cincinnati Zoo is also known for conservation and education, including a partnership with the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). So it was only natural that, during a recent trip home, I would pay the zoo a visit.
It was a scorching hot summer morning when my family and I arrived at the zoo. There was a sense of urgency: I wanted to make it to African Penguin Point in time for the Penguin Talk. The zoo has changed a bit since my last visit– in 2020, the African Penguins were moved from their home in the Children’s Zoo to a beautiful new exhibit space. A spacious pool with glass sides lets guests watch the penguins glide underwater, which they did with gusto. On such a sweltering day, I envied them.
The penguins’ land accomodations are also impressive, with stone islands to lounge on and log bridges to hop over. A rocky cliff face forms the exterior wall, with caves built in for nesting. The zoo has certainly embraced a natural habitat.
Another species of penguins who once made the Children’s Zoo their home has also received new digs. On the opposite side of the zoo, in the new (to me) Roo Valley, you’ll find North America’s largest breeding colony of Little Blue penguins. Like their cousins, the African penguins, the Little Blue penguin habitat sports a large swimming pool with underwater viewing and natural stone features. This exhibit also includes a bridge above the water, so that you can see the penguins swimming from above.
Despite the stifling temperatures, our trip to the Cincinnati Zoo was definitely worthwhile. It’s clear that the staff put a lot of thought and effort into creating an enriching environment for their penguins. With many penguin species (including the African penguin) in rapid decline, it’s important to foster a connection between these animals and the public.
A New Home for Humboldts at Tennoji Zoo
Osaka’s Tennoji Zoo opened in 1915 and in many ways its showing its age. In a previous blog post, I wrote about small, uninspired enclosures with cracked concrete and peeling paint. But recently this little zoo has seen some big changes. On April 24th, just in time for World Penguin Day, the Tennoji Zoo unveiled their new Humboldt penguin exhibit.
The zoo has gone to great lengths to mimic the penguins’ natural habitat in South America. Gone are the square brick nest boxes, replaced by earth-hued burrows and caves. Gentle waves crash upon a rocky, sloping beach where penguins can waddle in and out of the water.
Penguins aren’t the only ones who can appreciate this new exhibit. The enclosure is surrounded by educational signs and displays for young and old. Best of all, visitors can walk beneath the penguin pool and see the birds gliding around and above them.
Humboldt penguins are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conversation of Nature (IUCN). Through this new exhibit, the Tennoji Zoo hopes to educate people of the environmental problems that these penguins face.
Renovations continue to take place at the Tennoji Zoo. As an Osaka resident and zoo enthusiast, I’m proud of the steps they’re taking to improve the lives of their animals and to educate the public.
“Penguin Park & Ashika Wharf” New facility at Tennoji Zoo (Japanese)
Nooks and Penguins 