A popular African penguin at a Maryland zoo known as Mr. Greedy, who fathered many offspring over five generations and left “an astounding 230 descendants,” has died of age-related decline in health, the zoo said. statement
He was 33 years old – yes, in human years. (The zoo said it has no accurate way to determine the equivalent in penguin years.) He was the oldest penguin in his colony, which the zoo said is the largest in North America.
When he wasn’t busy reproducing or bringing joy to zoo visitors, Mr Greedy swam hard, looked after his mate – nicknamed Ms Greedy – and was constantly looking for things to steal.
Their mischievous ability to steal nesting materials and food from others earned them the affectionate nickname by which they are known, zoo bird curator Jane Cottayan said in a phone interview Saturday.
Mr. Greedy, born in 1991, had a more official, though less personal, name: African Penguin No. 821. The cause of death was a terminal illness on Aug. 27, the zoo said.
In his long life, Mr. Lobhi “made tremendous contributions to his endangered species,” he said Statement from the Maryland ZooWhich is in Baltimore.
“This one bird was incredibly important to the continued survival of African penguins around the world,” Ms Kottayan said in the statement.
Maryland Zoo spokesman Mike Evitts said there is no specific number for the total number of offspring expected from an African penguin, but Mr. Greedy’s number is “well above average.”
Found near islands off the southwest coast of Africa and on land near Cape Town, South Africa, African penguins can dive more than 400 feet underwater and stay below the surface for two to three minutes at a time, according to the Aquarium of the Pacific, in Long Beach, Calif. A marine life conservation group and aquarium. The penguins are less than two and a half feet tall and are also known as jackass penguins, “because their shrill squawks sound like donkeys.” The defense group said.
Over the past 20 years, the global population of African penguins There has been a reduction of 75 percentAccording to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ African Penguin Species Survival Plan, the decline is due to a lack of “prey fish” such as sardines and anchovies, which helped determine whether Mr. and Mrs. Greedy were successful. Match for reproduction.
There is a real possibility that the birds will be extinct within 10 years, the zoo said.
If the population continues to decline, and if zoologists are able to mitigate some of the effects of climate change and overfishing, Mr. Lobhi’s descendants will be an important part of rebuilding the species’ populations in Africa, Ms. Kottayan said.
Mr. Lobhi is survived by his lifelong companion, Penguin No. 832, who is Ms. Known as Greydy. He is now the oldest penguin in the zoo. Both birds hatched in the same year, arrived at the zoo in 1992, and have been paired together since 1994.
The average lifespan of African penguins is about 18 years, making Mr. and Mrs. Greedy a remarkable pair, the zoo said. Ms. Kottayan said visitors knew the pair because their remarkable longevity and reproductive abilities were a topic at feeding time. Greedy was also a partner in crime, as she joined him in stealing nest material and food from others.
When news of the beloved penguin’s death broke, many community members said they were worried about Ms. Lobhi’s well-being, Ms. Kottyan said. The zoo will monitor Ms. Greedy’s behavior and, if she is interested, she may find another male companion.
Zoo and Aquarium, Ms. Kottyan admits, keeping animals in captivity is sometimes criticized. But Mr. Lobhi’s life exemplifies the important role these places can play, she said. It educated people about her species, she said — and her descendants could be an integral part of its revival in the coming decades.
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