Six Penguins Move to New “Retirement Home” Island at the Aquarium

Boulders and Lambert waddle along a gentle slope, while Harlequin and Durban preen each other on a flat stretch of island. Nearby, Isis, a 29-year-old female, observes her surroundings, while Dyer nestles close to her mate Lambert. These six African penguins are the first residents of the New England Aquarium’s new “retirement home” island, a special space designed to make life easier for aging birds. 

More than half of the 40 African penguins in the New England Aquarium’s penguin colony are older than their species’ average lifespan of 10 to 15 years old. There are even a handful of penguins in their thirties in the colony, including Good Hope, 36; Boulders, 34; Lambert, 32; Harlequin, 32; and Durban, 31!

“In the wild, they would never reach this age,” said Diana Major, penguin manager at the Aquarium. “A lot of the time, we see physical issues that we normally wouldn’t see in the wild because, in the wild, if you slow down you get eaten by a shark.” 

The Animal Health Department takes special care of these geriatric penguins, including doing acupuncture and physical therapy, applying foot treatments, administering daily eye drops, and feeding them fish that have been injected with extra water to promote kidney health. Still, advanced age tends to bring physical challenges, the same way it does for humans, like arthritis and cataracts.

Taking a proactive approach to caring for geriatric birds, last year, the Penguins and Pinnipeds department decided to reimagine the colony space, designating one island specifically for the physical and behavioral needs of older birds. The recently opened island offers several matted areas, ideal for those with mobility challenges, and a more relaxed social dynamic.

Because the area is home to fewer birds, the Animal Care team can keep a closer eye on individual penguins, watching from a bird’s eye view for any signs that they might need treatment via a live stream of the island. For instance, if a penguin’s movement looks stiffer or more halting than usual, the team would quickly notice and conduct a physical exam. 

The smaller, calmer group also makes it easier for trainers to work with individual penguins. With this senior group, reinforcing behaviors that help them participate in their own health care is particularly important. They’re trained to be comfortable with regular health care interventions like receiving eye drops and foot ointment. 

Each of the six penguins living on the island was evaluated and chosen based on their physical status and social behaviors. The team slowly transitioned the birds to the new island, carefully monitoring their behavior and social dynamics, over about a month. 

“The birds settled in as best as we could have hoped for,” Diana said. “We’ve seen the birds go from doing a lot of swimming to getting up and finding their areas and calling to each other as a colony. They seem to be finding their spots and settling in, which is really nice to see, and we have been able to do a lot more close observation on them and start more advanced training with their medical behaviors.”

The Aquarium is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) SAFE African Penguin program, an international effort to protect and restore wild African penguin populations, which are critically endangered. As a program member, the Aquarium participates in educational and conservation initiatives for African penguins. Learning about the species, including studying them as they age, is one way the Aquarium helps with these conservation efforts.

The Penguins team will continue to evaluate which individuals might be good candidates for the island, whether on a short-term or long-term basis, during regular welfare and quality of life assessments by the trainers and veterinarians. They also plan to modify the “retirement home” by installing more flat areas and sloping ramps, making it even easier for older penguins to climb on and off the island.

“It’s kind of like assisted living,” said Diana. “We’re assisting them a little bit so that they can be more comfortable.”

Visit the Aquarium to see the penguins’ new retirement home island!