Penguin Plunge exhibit opens to eager crowds at Calgary Zoo

VIPs at opening ceremony upstaged by zoo’s 46 new residents

Angela Avery from Conoco Phillips, left, Dr. Clement Lanthier, president and CEO of the Calgary Zoo, middle and Mayor Naheed Nenshi open the of Penguin Plunge at the Calgary Zoo in Calgary, Alberta on February 17, 2012.

Calgary -There were lots of VIPs at the Calgary Zoo on Friday morning: the mayor and members of council, provincial politicians, major donors, the zoo’s board of trustees.

But the real stars of the show weren’t of the human variety at all — they were the 46 penguins who have taken up residence at the zoo’s brand-new $24.5-million Penguin Plunge exhibit, which opened to the public Friday.
Seemingly unfazed by their rock-star status, the black-and-white birds strutted and waddled their way across their new habitat. Peekaboo windows allowed visitors to see how the penguins — so ungainly on solid ground — appear to practically fly underwater.
“The penguins are doing really, really well. We’re actually very happy with the way things have turned out,” said Calgary Zoo area manager Malu Celli. “You can see that lots of the penguins have clustered together in little flocks, even though lots of them didn’t come from the same breed. There’s a little bit of bickering, but that’s normal for penguins — they’re used to that.”
There are four species of penguins on display at the new exhibition: Humboldt, gentoo, rockhopper and king.

Andrew Walker, 5 gets a close-up look at a Humboldt penguin during
the grand opening of Penguin Plunge at the Calgary Zoo in Calgary,
 Alberta on February 17, 2012.

The Calgary Zoo spent four years preparing for their arrival and ensuring that the Penguin Plunge will provide them with the best home possible.
The exhibit has outdoor and indoor components, and features a waterfall, diving pool, and realistic-looking rock and ice formations.
The indoor section of the exhibit is maintained at a temperature of 7 C, giving the cold-weather birds the chance to escape the summer heat.

Friday’s ceremony included remarks by dignitaries, a singing and dancing flash mob (dressed appropriately in black and white), and a formal “ice-breaking ceremony” to officially declare Penguin Plunge open to the public.
By the time the ceremony was over, hundreds of Calgarians were lined up to get a glimpse of the birds.
Doris Buternowsky — who stood in line with her daughters Amber, 9, and Megan, 6 ­— said her family have been regular zoo visitors since moving to Calgary seven years ago.
“We’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” she said. “We’ve watched the construction, and we’re excited to see what they’ve come up with.”
Buternowsky said standing in line was worth it for the chance to see the charismatic birds first-hand.
“It’s fine. We brought our lunch, and we’ve got all day,” she said.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi said he was impressed by the quality of the Penguin Plunge exhibit.
“It lets people get up close and personal with these animals, and the interpretation is really, really good. You learn a lot about their natural habitat and some of the issues they’re facing in the wild,” Nenshi said.
He added that the penguins’ arrival will serve as a boost for tourism and economic development within Calgary, but is also important on a more basic level.
“We have to continue building a city where people feel happy and comfortable raising a family — where people feel like they want to live and settle and invest,” Nenshi said.
“Investing in quality-of-life things like a great zoo is a really important part of that, and judging by the number of people who have been standing out here waiting to get in and see them (the penguins), this is going to be a huge hit.”

Calgary Zoo president and CEO Clement Lanthier said the penguins will help to enhance people’s understanding of conservation issues. Many species of penguins are facing serious challenges due to overfishing, oil spills and climate change.
“Zoos provide a meaningful place to connect with nature,” Lanthier said. “Studies have shown that visitors’ perception of, and commitment to, conservation are strengthened by their experiences at zoos and aquariums.”

Sidebar or fact box:

Penguin Fun Facts

• Humboldt penguins groom their feathers before breakfast by rubbing oil from a gland at the base of the tail into their feathers and wings.
• Humboldt penguins dig nesting burrows in thick deposits of seabird guano (poo).
• Gentoo penguins can hold their breath underwater for up to seven minutes. They sometimes travel up to 28 km per day in search of food.
• During the winter, rockhopper penguins feed for three to five months without returning to land.
• Large king penguin colonies make so much noise that researchers can hear them from a kilometre away.
• King penguins have four layers of feathers to keep out the cold: an outer, oily layer and three layers of down.

Source: Calgary Zoo