Happy *30th* Hatchday, Durban!!
Durban the African penguin with his 30th hatchday ice cake — Photo by Curator Aimee
Happy *30th* hatchday to the ever-delightful and dapper African penguin Durban!!
“Durban is a delightful penguin to work with,” says Aviculturist Kayla, “You can almost always find him hanging out with his partner, Velma. Most afternoons the pair snoozes near the bubble window, with Durban often using Velma as a pillow.”
Durban investigating his 25th hatchday sea-le-bray-tion
Kayla adds: “Whenever Durban finds himself alone in front of his nest cavity, he will honk and bray until Velma shows up so they can relax together and groom each other.”
African penguins tend to live 10-15 years in their natural habitat—and roughly twice as long in human care thanks to readily available food, excellent veterinary attention and the absence of predators.
The ever-dapper Durban in 2009
The penguins in our colony are part of a Species Survival Plan to help bolster the genetics of their critically endangered wild cousins.
Thanks to your support of the Aquarium, Durban and the rest of our colony is making a difference for penguins!
Here’s to many more happy hatchdays, Durban!
