Newest Tenants Of Zoo Are Waddling Hit

By STEVE KORNACKI The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jun 10, 2007

TAMPA - Ten-year-old Aaron Rupe said he's not going to wash his hands for a while, even if they do smell kind of fishy after petting Rufus, an African black-footed penguin.

Aaron, of Tampa, posed for a picture Saturday morning with Rufus at the opening of the Lowry Park Zoo's Penguin Beach exhibit. Hundreds of penguin enthusiasts visited the beach, waterfall and 22,000-gallon pool inhabited by 10 waddling birds. It would have been difficult, though, to find anyone more into penguins than Aaron.

"I've studied penguins since first grade and have done five or six reports on them," Aaron said. "They are fascinating creatures: birds that are unable to fly. When I'm 14, I'm going to volunteer to work here with the penguins."

He was wearing one of his two penguin T-shirts for the occasion and raised his arms in a V when his mother, Debbie, showed him the photo with Rufus taken by a zoo worker.

"It's the world's best souvenir!" Aaron said.

Proceeds from the $10 photos, available on weekends, go to support the penguins.

"Aaron rarely smiles for photos," his mother said, "but look at him smiling."

Greg Stoppelmoor, assistant curator of aviary at Lowry Park Zoo, proposed Penguin Beach when he interviewed for his position in 2005.

"We had them where I worked before, at the Dallas World Aquarium," he said. "And from my experiences there, they bring 20 percent more people to zoos.

"It was a long time in coming, about a year of planning, and to see people enjoy it and learn is the best part."

Stoppelmoor obtained Rufus and mate Pepper and the mated couple of Abe and Scooby from Dallas World Aquarium. The other six birds, juveniles ages 1 to 2, came from Colorado and Rochester, N.Y. Black-footed penguins are native to Cape Town, South Africa.

They're also called jackass penguins for the braying sounds they make that are similar to those of donkeys. They grow as tall as 14 inches.

The penguins have public feedings of saltwater smelt at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. daily, and patrons will be able to feed them in the near future. Zoo staff and volunteers also play with the birds, blowing soap bubbles for them to pop or presenting cat toys for them to chase.

"It's like watching a kid play," said aviary keeper Carlie Traljic. "They are very intelligent and need to be enriched with activities.

"Every time I let someone pet a penguin today, I felt like I was touching them for the first time all over again. I was introducing them to the penguins."

Many Penguin Beach visitors said what they enjoyed most was being able to get close to the birds.

"Everywhere else, you see them behind glass," said David Henderson of St. Petersburg, who celebrated his 17th anniversary with wife, Kerrie, at the zoo. "And during the presentation [by Stoppelmoor], we learned they mate for life. That's cool."

Rufus, 14, and Abe, 15, the oldest exhibit penguins, took turns being photographed with patrons.

The penguins have 70 feathers per square inch and get hot quickly. Handlers spray them with cold water under blowing fans between photo shoots.

"But Rufus loves it," Stoppelmoor said. "He's a ham."

Reporter Steve Kornacki can be reached at (813) 731-8170 or skornacki@tampatrib.com.

PENGUIN BEACH

WHAT: New exhibit featuring 10 African black-footed penguins

WHEN: During zoo hours, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Feedings are at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. daily.

WHERE: Lowry Park Zoo, 1101 W. Sligh Ave., Tampa

HOW MUCH: Included in zoo admission of $16.95 for adults; $12.50 for ages 3 to 11; free for 2 and younger

DETAILS: (813) 935-8552 or www.lowryparkzoo.com