100 African Penguin Juveniles and counting!
Previously I’ve blogged on the De Hoop Nature Reserve. This is how it’s going so far.
Watch “African Penguins released at the De Hoop Nature Reserve” on YouTube
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Glow in the Park Penguins?…
Recently we traveled to the Palm Springs area in California on a mission to assist Executive Photographer (and Co Owner of Surrounded By Penguins), Scarlett, with her Birb Biologist job. I love when this opportunity comes up because I feel like I’m a helpful assistant to wildlife caring people. We also are directly helping with research as we are collecting generic samples of the birds we catch. A few choice penguins and I are always happy to tag along and help with these endeavors.
As usual, I tagged on other ventures for Surrounded By Penguins while up there. In the interest of wanting to provide excursions and tours to surrounding wildlife conservation areas to include zoo’s, aquariums, and the like we decided to include attending a special event at the Palm Desert Living Desert Zoo and Botanical Garden. We obtained 3 genetic samples of wild birds that have established territories at the zoo. It’s pretty amazing that this zoo provides sanctuary knowingly and passively to endangered wildlife. The habitat maintained at many zoo’s actually provide the surrounding wildlife with a sanctuary. You’ll see deer at the Safari Park in San Diego for example along with both local and migratory birds and other wildlife. What animals have you seen in zoo’s that cohabitate with the zoo animals?
Since we were collecting genetic samples we got to visit the Living Desert Zoo before opening. During the day we got to see these amazing lanterns already set up for the Glow in the Park event. We could only imagine what they looked like at night.
We wouldn’t get our chance to see the lanterns lit until the the events closing night. The unobstructed colorful views during the day became much more appreciated as we found ourselves shoulder to shoulder much of the time at night. But wow wow wow were the lanterns amazing. Day or night the creative detailed figures were impressive. We were blown away by the correctly coordinated colors, fabric designs, accurate proportions to scale, and many of the lantern animals moved! Not one person in the collective mob was unimpressed and many people were still interested in seeing the actual animals that were not lanterns too. To give respect to the animals, the lights were strategically placed and some areas were off limits.
Maybe some animals that are nocturnal were visible? These naked mole rats are blind so do they know when it’s day or night? Without the ability to see, how else can we gauge if it’s day time or night time?
Although it was difficult, I took many many many pictures and will share some below.
During the event, Afie, Syd and I decided that from now on only one of them would be on my shoulder while in public. Both of them at the same time proved to be way too much to worry about. The ippies (Mippy, Sippy and Zippy) are definitely the most readily and photogenic of the ambassadors. Syd and Afie seem to enjoy seeing the ongoings from our shoulders and agree to being in selfies occasionally. Most times they are like the family pictures with the one kid that looks hilariously awkward on purpose.
As usual, we all still had a great time. Enjoy!
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Happy World Penguin Day 2022!
We celebrated at the San Diego Zoo with the African Penguins last month on April 25th! What did you do to celebrate the penguins all around the world?
Ahhhhhh TooToo looks like hys getting attacked by an octopus arm!
We even went live on Facebook and Instagram! Find the videos on our Instagram! On Instagram Connorbalts4 and pico_space_adventures joined us! We all had a great visit! Thank you both for joining!
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Special Explorer Zoo Trip!
Some of the SBP’s pengie’s, Amy, and I recently visited the San Diego Zoo to check out the new explorer area. What a great time! I got so distracted by all the neat new exhibits and attractions that we ran out of time to see the African Penguins. Can you believe that?! Anyways… Here’s some of what you could expect to see on your visit.
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You go penguin chicks!
PBS Nature brings to light how smart are the cutie little baby pengies!
I take for granted everything that penguin chicks have contend with and how intelligent the have to be to live. Sure they are altricial birds. But maybe one of the most capable and smartest altricial birds of all the species.
So I say, you go penguin chicks!
After all they need to have the inherent brain skills to not only navigate but also to apply spacial awareness, voice recognition, vocal projection, and much much more. Not to mention the other physical skills they need to acquire just as quickly.
So I say, you go penguin chicks!
Altricial- source for definition below from Oxford languages
alĀ·triĀ·cial
/alĖtriSHÉl/
ZOOLOGY
adjective
ZOOLOGY
- (of a young bird or other animal) hatched or born in an undeveloped state and requiring care and feeding by the parents.
- (of a particular species) having altricial young.
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African Penguin Release at De Hoop Nature Reserve
This is so cool! Co Executive Penguin of Surrounded By Penguins shared this awesome article with me about the long term efforts of a few organizations working together to attempt to establish a new colony of African Penguins that will be protected and closer to their preferred food.
BirdLife South Africa, Cape Nature, along with SANCCOB and other organizations are attempting to establish a African Penguin colony in De Hoop Natural Reserve. This reserve is actually closer to the penguins preferred food. Drive thru anyone? Actually that’s part of what the problem is. They treat the area like a driver thru and don’t colonize. Although they have attempted to in the past…
https://www.birdlife.org.za/what-we-do/seabird-conservation/what-we-do/coastal-seabird-conservation/creating-penguin-colonies/
In 2003 African Penguins did attempt to establish a colony in the area, but predation forced the penguins to abandon the attempt. This time around, they will be protected from predators! With a fence and other tools to help keep predation down. The organization’s are implementing very smart tactics to promote the likelihood that penguins will once again attempt to roost in the area too. In this video they are releasing juvenile penguins in hopes that they will return to roost in the area when they are of breeding age.
The organization’s even made decoy penguins and set up speakers to play penguins calls. All to entice penguins to attempt colonizing in the Reserve. The decoys look so real!
This is an ongoing long project but we at Surrounded By Penguins are excited and hopeful. I have a feeling that it’ll work. These carefully coordinated efforts will be worth it, I’m sure. Thank you to everyone involved with this project. I admire your hard work and patience. Keep up the good work. Hurry back penguins! Squawk!
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TooToo our stuffy plushy Gentoo takes flight!
A few of the Surrounded By Penguins rode the sea jelly swing ride at SeaWorld San Diego yesterday. Some pengie fwens just watched because they didn’t want to ride or were too nervous to ride. Some were even too anxious to watch. All okay feelings.
In the video, TooToo really takes to flight 1 minute into it. I didn’t know what to do but hang on and keep filming!
You can’t see the other stuffy plushy fwens in the video but off screen Syd was squawking in fear and excitement the whole time, excited to be flying but scared because we were so high up. During the ride, Mr Bigalow was bouncing around on hys chain. And Sippy was holding on for dear life in their holster. It was so cute to see all of them so excited and happy. TooToo, Syd, Sippy, Mr Bigalow and I were so proud to had braved the ride. At the end we could say we all enjoyed the experience. All the anxious feelings leading up to the moment the ride started were worth experiencing. The ride ended with us wanting to ride again. Good thing we recorded TooToo flying so we can relive the experience when we watch it because I just realized…. Our Penguin Ambassador Fwens were definitely not tall enough to ride the ride! Whooooa! Maybe it was a good thing that we didn’t try to ride it again. š š§š¢
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#penguins #penguin #penguinlove #penguinlover #penguinfan #cutepenguin #cutepenguins #pengui #pengie #pengies #stuffies #plushie #plushy #stuffedanimals #flyingpenguin #plushiepenguin #tootootheplushypenguin
#rides #swings
#seaworldsandiego
#surroundedbypenguins
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Back to School…?
As everyone is approaching spring break, we are going back to school. Well sort of…
Since last year, we’ve been taking very informative and helpful online classes that the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers via zoom to all small business owners.
If you’re a business owner, you need to check them out! Especially if you’re in San Diego. They offer sooo much to business for free!
Recently I signed up for their Business Academy Dream program. This intense program is offered to San Diego and Imperial, California small businesses created after July of 2019 or are in the midst of being created. Entrepreneurs that apply need to be serious about their business or they’ll want to drop out. The program requires on going 1 on 1 mentorship, attending classes, group participation, etc. It’s a lot but not only can the Academy help you succeed but completing the requirements can lead to your small businesses being awarded up to 10k usd for brick and mortar businesses. It is a demanding involved program for serious beginner entrepreneurs, unlike the other non committal zoom classes they offer.
I’ve only been to 1 Academy class so far but I believe any business will obtain only positive results. The sleep we’ll be losing to attend and participate will be well worth it, I’m sure.
Most of the businesses in the small class I’m part of seem to be already successful and already all knowing. It is a bit intimidating. But I’m still glad that I’m in a small class even if everyone seems a little more advanced. There is a lot that we can’t share as part of the program and also because what we divulge about our business, hopes, dreams, and uhhhhh I don’t know moments, well it can be embarrassing.
For me, it has been difficult for me to explain what kind of business is Surrounded By Penguins. I’d dreaded the question “Oh, what kind of business do you own?”
I did not know how to say, in short, what is SBP. It’s not just a business that uses print on demand to make products that feature penguins on them. We do so much more.
It frustrates me to feel that I cannot convey what SBP means to me. It’s like knowing I need to go to Snow Hill to become a parent and create life, wanting to tell someone about the whole process but all I can do is squawk and they don’t speak penguin. I tripped on my own beak.
I know that SBP will be successful. I feel it in all my feathers. We will see at least all of the penguin species. I can see myself there, I’m just not sure how and the how is what I need to make happen. But I and the birds need people to see how similar they are to us humans. I feel a sense of urgency. We all need to reconnect so I need people to see what my wife and I see so they can connect to them the way we do. My wife and I really have a knack to see so much that so few, if any get to see. I always thought it a shame that I could not share with others what I saw. I wasn’t always into birds, it was my wife that really opened my eyes and ears to these magnificent creatures that flew about me my whole life. It was through my wife and the birds that I saw what I’ve seen all my life in a more meaningful way. A whole different world within my world was right there and I never saw or heard it. After I did hear and see, everything about how I saw my world changed. My wife and I need to see and photograph all the birds we can to share what we see with everyone that will look. Just think about how you feel when you see pictures of wildlife. When you are engaged in a wildlife documentary. Everything seems… In elementary terms, amazing and awesome!
I need to find people and resources that will help us get to the birds and help us create the feeling I get when I connect to the birds. I’m digressing here but I realized that I need help. I need people to help me go through the raw images, edit photos and create designs. We need people that can help us do the stuff we haven’t learned how to fo yet or do too slowly by ourselves. Are there people out there that would want to help us but also gain in their own personal lives by helping us? I should ask who not if…. Who would benefit from helping us in such an intimate way?
I was happy to hear that many of the businesses in the Business Academy were created with the environment in mind. It may be awkward but I do feel that I am in my element amongst my peers. Even if it’s still a little awkward for me. In a few hours, it’ll be time for the second class… What will I have to divulge and learn today?
Every class I’ve taken has been free! This Academy is free too! Check them out!
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SeaWorld San Diego Emperor Penguin News featuring 2022 SeaWorld Pass Members Collector Cup Emperor Penguin Edition
I didn’t get to make it to the Emperor Rollercoaster grand opening last Saturday. Work needed us to help out a coworker and apparently we were the only ones that could cover the shift. Although it was really for a good reason, the grand opening to the Emperor Penguin ride looked so cool! Even the Mayor Todd Gloria was there! That was surprising to see!
Sooo we haven’t ridden the ride yet. Buuuut we did score a Emperor Penguin collector cup last time we were at SeaWorld! So not only did we adopt a baby Emperor penguin, but also this cup!
Check it out. It looks pretty good with Sid and EP’s Surrounded By Penguins hat.
How do you think we should spell the Emperor Penguin Chicks name?… Sid or Syd?… Syd or Sid?
Music: Turn Up The Watts
Musician: Jason Shaw
URL: https://audionautix.com
Here’s the Point Of View video of the Emperor Penguin ride! Although none of our penguins are tall enough to ride it, aside from EP. We still can’t wait!
#penguins #penguin #penguinsinstagram #penguinsofinstagram #penguinlove #penguinlover #penguinchicks #cutepenguin #cutepenguins #pengui #pengie #pengies #emperorpenguins #penguinadventuresĀ #seaworldmembercollectorcup #seaworldmembercollectorglass #penguinmerch #penguingifts #collectorcups #collections #seaworld #seaworldpassmembers #emperorpenguinchick #penguinplushies #penguinstuffies #penguinhat #surroundedbypenguins
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International Women’s Day
I believe it’s purposefully hard to tell the gender of penguins. They’ve evolved so much that being able to distinguish between their sex is nearly impossible, even under careful observation. Penguins have been around much much longer than humans and seem to be all knowing so gender inequality isn’t a thing for them at all. But until we evolve to be as smart and all the things that penguins are, we acknowledge that within the human species many women are not treated equally. Today, I was motivated to make products in honor of Women’s Day and Surrounded By Penguins Anniversary. Although I, Executive Penguin, much like penguins, look more androgynous than a definite male or female, I know that not long ago I would not be allowed to have a business because my chromosomes and some of my body parts say I’m female. I’m not wanting to take advantage or make light of today being Women’s Day, but I do want to acknowledge the person in me that is an energetic woman that needed to make products and show ownership of a business, because we can… and sadly others cannot.
An essential scoop shirt with the danger style sign reminder that it’s okay to be a little blue. You don’t have to smile if you don’t want to.
Tank tops and a mouse pad with gamer stuff around it because our customer of the year @kattgoddes is an awesome gamer and inspiration. She’s an Engineer, bought an Alfa Romeo, and appreciated me bringing to light the word “folx” as a word to include all despite their pronouns or lack of pronoun identification.
Boxer briefs, because that’s what I’m comfortable wearing.
And a backpack because sometimes a purse, murse, side bag, clutch, butch bag, e.t.c. doesn’t have enough space to carry everything movers and shakers need to change the world.
