World Penguin Day at Aquarium of Niagara
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) — Working alongside the Humboldt penguins at the Aquarium of Niagara is part of Abby Pietrow’s daily routine.
“It’s like getting to come to work with 15 of my best friends every day,” said Pietrow, an animal care specialist at the Aquarium of Niagara. “Some of them are really curious and inquisitive, and want to know everything that’s going on all the time. Some of them are more laid back, some of them are very close to their mates and spend most of their time hanging around the nest with their partners.”
Humboldt penguins are just one of the 18 different types of these flightless birds that are found throughout the southern hemisphere of the world.
“Bringing awareness to the fact that there’s a big diversity of penguins species is important,” said Pietrow. “There are some species that are really in danger, and threatened, and their populations are not doing so great.”
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During awareness days like World Penguin Day, the not-for-profits are important to zoos, aquariums, and to people who love animals, as they bring awareness of how to protect the species.
“It helps us get the word out about some of the threats that some of these animals are facing in their natural environment, and how we can get involved to make a difference for them,” said Christine Stephans, director of communications and marketing at the Aquarium of Niagara.
Pietrow tells us there are a lot of threats that some penguins are facing, including overfishing, habitat destruction, poaching and climate change.
“A lot of those challenges that they are facing have a human behavior at their root, which is actually a good thing because that means we do have a chance to be part of the solution and help enact change,” said Pietrow. “Even the things we do here in Western New York; we’re not near the oceans, but we are on the Great Lakes, which all drain right out into the Hudson Bay, so the things we do here can have a wider impact on the world in general.”
To help at home, she recommends choosing sustainable seafood options and reducing the use of plastics.
“It’s estimated that 90 percent of seabirds have plastics in their stomachs, and that includes penguins. So, reducing your use of those single-use plastics, getting reusable items or just forgoing them altogether is another great way we can reduce our impact on the environment,” said Pietrow.
Another way you can help the penguins and all the animals at the Aquarium of Niagara is by taking a visit to the non-profit, attending one of their fundraising events, or donating.
“Every dollar spent here at the aquarium is spent on admission, on our animal programs, and our gift shop goes right back into caring for our animals, supporting the work we do here, but also conservation projects on a wider scale,” said Pietrow.
And if you or someone you know would like to meet penguins up close, there are public and private events where you can see the behind-the-scenes work of the penguin exhibit and meet some of the penguins up close. You can find out more information on that here.
The aquarium is also holding its spring fundraiser, Savor del Mar, Thursday, May 2. To find out more information on that event, click here. For more information on hours and general admission, click here.
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Hope Winter is a reporter and multimedia journalist who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of her work here.
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