A colony of 11 penguins calls the Dallas Zoo home. They鈥檙e in the midst of their breeding season.
Kevin Graham, the zoo鈥檚 associate curator of birds and ectotherms, is counting on four bonded pairs to lay viable eggs. Graham said his colony is, in part, responsible for the survival of the entire species.
鈥淚f the worst happens and extinction crisis becomes imminent, we have a population that could be the reservoir,鈥� Graham said.
The Dallas Zoo is part of . Its goal is to manage vulnerable 别虫-蝉颈迟耻鈥� or captive 鈥� populations.
The SSP identifies animals at risk of extinction and develops a Breeding and Transfer Plan between facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The program is managed by expert advisors who work cooperatively to maximize genetic diversity.
The breeding pairs at the Dallas Zoo didn鈥檛 fall in love by accident. They were matched up by a sophisticated algorithm that first analyzes their DNA as chicks, then matches them to a genetically ideal partner.
The highly scientific dating service ensures eggs laid by a breeding pair will be viable and contribute to a genetically diverse captive population.
While none of these penguins will ever find themselves in the wild, their still-incubated descendants might be reintroduced one day.
The algorithm accounts for a number of genetic features, but even the most advanced technology can鈥檛 predict personalities. So when his penguins need an extra push, Graham sets them up on a penguin date.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of vocalization, a lot of body posturing, a lot of interacting,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 if it goes well. If it doesn鈥檛, we hope they ignore each other. But penguins that don't get along are feisty.鈥�
While penguins prefer to find a mate and mate for life, some make it past their prime breeding years without securing a match. These birds find homes in penguin retirement communities.
The Dallas World Aquarium, which also contributes to the Species Survival Plan, is currently home to seven bachelor penguins. Susan Schmid, the aquarium鈥檚 avian collection manager, said that even though they aren鈥檛 part of the breeding program, her penguins play a role in conservation efforts as 鈥渁mbassador animals鈥� key to things like community outreach.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e adorable,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 mean, you can鈥檛 help but like them. They鈥檙e cute. They鈥檙e funny to watch walk.鈥�
But these staffers aren鈥檛 satisfied with just bringing the public to the penguins. They want to ensure the public isn鈥檛 disrupting the penguins鈥� natural habitats.
The way we interact with the environment in North Texas can directly impact wild penguin populations, according to Ryanne Hanley, the Dallas Zoo鈥檚 assistant manager of ambassador animal experiences.
鈥淥ur big river here in Texas, our big Trinity River that goes all the way down to Galveston Bay, can carry trash as far away as Africa,鈥� Hanley said.
According to Hanley, thoughtfulness about the environment is just as crucial as breeding programs for preserving animals like the African Penguin.
Her team at the zoo and keepers at the aquarium have taken their conservation efforts a step further.
Each year, each organization sends staff members to volunteer in South Africa. There, they help rescue wild penguins off the continent鈥檚 southernmost tip.
Julie Farrington, a lead zoologist at the Dallas Zoo, focuses her work in Southern Africa on providing nesting sites for displaced penguins, many of which have lost their nests due to land development, erosion or climate change.
鈥淥ut there, [we] travel to all the different nesting sites where the penguins are still trying to nest. And [we鈥檙e] getting those nests out there for the birds to use. As soon as we get those nests down, birds are in them,鈥� Farrington said.
She works in partnership with the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, or SANCCOB. The non-governmental organization helps rehabilitate seabird populations in southern Africa.
The artificial nests they use were developed in North Texas by Kevin Graham, the Zoo鈥檚 penguin keeper. During the design process, he accounted for everything from the nest's size to weight to building materials.
A prototype of the original nest sits in the penguins鈥� enclosure at the Dallas Zoo.
Graham says his work with the penguins at the zoo is just as important as his nest-building work in southern Africa.
鈥淭he penguins we have here are representatives of their species,鈥� Graham said. 鈥淭hey teach people the struggles that penguins in the wild face.鈥�
