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COLUMBIA (WACH)—Much better than snakes and gators are penguins.  Although very chilly, a trip to Riverbanks Zoo and Garden’s Penguin Coast is well worth it.

Penguin Coast at Riverbanks in located in the bird house, and is the home to 24 penguins, including 7 gentoo, 4 kings, and 13 rock hoppers.  According to bird keeper Sarah Guaracini, most of the flock came from Sea World, however, there are a few of these well dressed little gentleman and ladies that were hatched at Riverbanks.

Speaking of their attire, there is a reason, as with most things in nature, beyond good style for their coloring.  Guaracini says that they are black on their backs so that as they swim across the water, they are less visible to aerial predators, blending into the dark sea.  Their white bellies work exactly the opposite, blending into bright sky as sea creatures look upwards from the deep.

The flock of penguins at Riverbank are rather friendly when it comes to people, and Guaracini says that sometimes they are not that much different in the wild.  In places like Antarctica, there are very few people, so curiosity often takes over in the event that a penguin and human cross paths.

Another interesting fun fact is that penguins are not necessarily only present in the deep freeze of the southern tips of the planet. In fact, only 4 of the 17 species of penguins live in that area.  Penguins are also found in New Zealand, Australia, the Falkland Islands, and coastlines of South America and Africa.

Guaracini also points out the various continuing conservation efforts across the globe for penguins, including the annual Punta San Juan guano harvest, where the droppings from penguins and other birds is collected and used as compost.  Additionally, a local man is running a marathon in Antarctica to raise money and awareness for penguin conservation. 

The Riverbanks Zoo is seeking donations for their penguin conservation efforts of any size.  According to Communications Specialist Susan O’Cain, everyone who donates will be entered into a drawing for a penguin encounter, so they too can experience how “cool” these birds are.

Wild Wednesday airs every other Wednesday as part of Tyler’s Travels on Good Day Columbia.  Each Wild Wednesday finds Tyler Ryan up close and personal with some of the amazing wild creatures that make Riverbanks Zoo their home.