December 2nd, 2007 7:14pm
Meet Miami’s newest exotic residents – four African penguins are making their official debut at Jungle Island tomorrow morning.
Native to South Africa and Namibia, the birds are warm-weather penguins, so they should acclimate easily to Miami’s heat and humidity. Males Kidogo and Giant and females Little Red and Leelow communicate by squawking and are black on their dorsal side, face, flippers and heads for easy camouflage.
In 1900 there were approximately 1.5 million penguins in the world, today there are an estimated 17,000, with the populating declining by 2% every year. Kidogo, Giant, Little Red and Leelow should live to about 30 at Jungle Island, roughly twice as long as they would in their declining natural habitat.
The birds will live in Jungle Island’s Serpantarium and will be fed twice daily for public viewing at 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
March to the penguins: Jungle Island, Miami; 305-400-7000; jungleisland.com.
