PETA Not Happy With Penguins At NY Stock Exchange

The Penguin Post has learned that PETA and other groups are none too happy that penguins were brought in by Seaworld to waddle on the floor of the NY stock exchange. A spokesman for PETA, which stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said that the group purchased 80 shares in SeaWorld for more than $2,200 in last week’s IPO.

PETA officials believe this will allow them to attend shareholder meetings and introduce resolutions. It has previously battled the theme park company over breeding programmes at its sites in Florida, California and Texas. It is also calling for SeaWorld to release all the whales and dolphins it holds.

It has also emerged that PETA has written a letter to the New York Stock Exchange urging it to ban the use of exotic animals for promotional purposes. It comes after SeaWorld took penguins to Wall Street, where representatives rang the bell to start trading in their shares on Friday.

“It’s very stressful for exotic animals – who have specialized needs and are greatly affected by environmental changes – to be hauled around by companies like SeaWorld, just to be used as props,” Dan Mathews, senior vice-president at PETA, said in the letter. “Penguins, like all wild animals, shun contact with humans. Being forced into close public contact leaves them agitated and frightened.”

“Animals in captivity are already susceptible to illness, but putting them in a crowded, noisy environment just causes additional stress and increased potential for poor health. The New York Stock Exchange, as a respected institution, should not be condoning any display that involves transporting an animal from one location to another and using them as a photo prop.”

The Last Word On Dirk The Penguin

Usually, we mock criminals as idiots when they can’t help themselves and  brag about their crimes on Facebook, only to get caught shortly thereafter.  Not that anyone I know would do this, but ask yourself, if your “crime” was getting drunk, breaking into Sea World, swimming with dolphins, and making off with a 7-year-old fairy penguin, how in the world could you resist the urge to share that incredible night with the rest of the world?  Especially when you wake up with a hangover and a penguin in your room?  A not too bright and very drunk trio of U.K. tourists in Australia found themselves in that exact situation last week, and have since been arrested for doing just that.  A friend of theirs reportedly tipped police off after reading their Facebook post, and they were  shortly apprehended—but not before they released Dirk the penguin into the a nearby canal where he nearly was injured or worse by sharks (in the water) and dogs (on the shore).  But fortunately for Dirk (and the three tourists) Dirk is just fine; after a couple spotted him being chased by a dog on the banks of the canal.  Thinking it odd to see a penguin in that area, the couple chased the dog away, Googled “lost penguin,” quickly realized who the penguin was, and called Sea World.   So, now with Dirk back at Sea World safe, sound and reunited with his mate Peaches.  That’s right, we found out Dirk has a girlfriend named Peaches. So, with Dirk coming out of this unscathed this story turns out to be more of a silly, drunken boys night out, Hollywood B-movie rather than the sad tragedy it came very close to becoming.  The difference between the three men being international villains and facing serious prosecution and a kind of funny / dark story is that Dirk did not become a shark meal or dog food.  Dirk, it seems like the rest of us is walking a fine line every day.

Dirk The Penguin Back Home

Seaworld’s Ultimate Penguin Experience

The Penguin Post has learned of new details of what may be the ultimate penguin experience (outside of a trip to Antarctica) by SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida regarding the park’s upcoming 2013 much anticipated new attraction, Antartica – Empire of the Penguin.  The penguin-centric ride will utilize new technology that will allow the guests to experience the ride differently from visit to visit.  Guests will also be allowed to choose the thrill level they wish to experience as each car seats eight people who can decide as a group which level they’d prefer.  Also, as part of the ride a new SeaWorld star will be introduced – a young Gentoo penguin who will serve as the ride’s guide.  No word as to the technology that will allow that to happen. The attraction will immerse guests in an incredible penguin experience with various species including: Gentoos, Rockhoppers, Adelies and Kings.  Designers have yet to reveal how close guests will get to the penguins, but the penguins’ habitat must stay in the low 30 degrees for their comfort, so you may want to bring a jacket. With the habitat kept at that temperature, Antartica – Empire of the Penguin will be the coldest theme park attraction in the world. Or the coolest to say the least.

All we can say is...Wow!

Drunken Penguin Thieves

It’s the penguin story that won’t go away.  As the Penguin Post reported last week a trio of Welsh tourists visiting Australia had themselves quite a night which ended in a scenario that fans of the movie ‘The Hangover’ would no doubt recognize.  Now a few more revealing details of that bleary night have emerged.  It appears that after consuming too many “adult beverages” the trio broke into the local Sea World and took an impromptu swim with the dolphins. Not happy with simply a dip in the dolphin tank the three Welsh revelers moved on to the penguin exhibit, decided they needed some company and kidnapped a penguin.  After that they claim things got a bit fuzzy. The following morning the trio said they were surprised (to say the least) to wake up with not just a hangover, but also a seven-year old Fairy penguin named Dirk in their room.   Upon realizing they were not hallucinating and did indeed have a penguin in their room the three (stooges) decided the best course of action was not to alert the authorities or Sea World, but to make a video of Dirk the penguin in their room, then thinking they might get in trouble (duh) for stealing a penguin they  packed Dirk up and drove him about a mile down the road to a nearby canal where they dumped him, apparently thinking that penguins like water, therefore any body of water should do.

The three Welsh tourists?

Guys, for future reference penguins don’t like canals.  It was not until the next day that a passersby noticed poor Dirk being chased by a dog that Sea World officials were notified and able to safely rescue him.  Dirk was scared and a bit bruised but all things considered o.k.   As for the men, it won’t take Jack McCoy to convict them, as even though they maintain they were too drunk to recall snatching the penguin, they apparently had the wherewithal to shoot a video, take Dirk to a nearby canal, and then made reference to the stolen penguin on Facebook.  Given the social media posting it didn’t take long for the local authorities to figure out who the penguin-nappers were and arrest them. ‘We’re really sorry for all the trouble we’ve caused,” said one of the men, who are all facing charges of trespassing, stealing and unlawfully keeping a protected animal, and basically being just plain dumb. No comment from Dirk.

Dirk after his rescue as seen on local Aussie TV.

Penguin Cam Live 24 / 7

The Discovery Channel has Penguin fever and the Penguin Post has learned that with its new series Frozen Planet, Discovery has unleashed to millions the waddling little stars whose daily antics have become video sensations. Launching less than two weeks ago, Discovery Channel’s Penguin Cam has become an online addiction for us and over 30 million fans, and many have made it their second screen at work (guilty) and home.  Today the Discovery Channel will be further feeding the addiction with the addition of a Second Penguin Cam: People have come eye to eye with SeaWorld’s king, emperor, Adélie, gentoo and macaroni penguins, and now they can dive into the chilly water with our all-new underwater camera placed at the bottom of their penguin pool. Visitors to www.discovery.com/penguincam will be able to easily switch between the land and water views online beginning tomorrow at 9am EST and, of course, continue to chat with fellow addicts online.The holiday yule log has nothing on the 300+ penguins at SeaWorld’s Penguin Encounter in San Diego. In response to unprecedented fan reaction, Discovery Channel will air the live Penguin Cam feed on Discovery Channel from 9-10am ET/PT this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, wrapped with Tweets from Cam fans.

Penguin Cam catches penguin in the act.

Penguins Can Fly

“Is anyone here allergic to penguins?” the captain of Delta Flight 486 from Atlanta to New York asked passengers on Wednesday night. “No? Alright, we have a surprise for you.” “How would we even know if we were?” said the woman seated in seat 33D. “He can’t be serious,” she said, pausing briefly as she flipped through her copy of Sky Mall. But sure enough, after the plane reached a cruising altitude of 30,000 feet and the seat-belt sign was turned off, a pair of penguins waddled down the aisle from first class.  “You can take pictures, but we ask that you don’t touch them,” the captain announced. As told to the Penguin Post the flight’s 300-plus delighted passengers heeded the warning, snapping photos and videos with camera phones lighting the aisle as if it were a red carpet. The foot-and-a-half tall penguins, Pete and Penny, ages 6 and 12, were en route to the New York premiere of “Frozen Planet,” a new Discovery Channel documentary series narrated by Alec Baldwin. The screening, held Thursday at the Lincoln Center, was followed by a “polar-themed” party, hosted by Baldwin, Dustin Hoffman and Glenn Close, among other environmentally-conscious luminaries. Oddly enough, this is not the first time penguins were allowed to roam the cabin on a commercial flight. In fact, it happens fairly frequently, judging by videos uploaded to YouTube. Just last month, three penguins on Southwest’s Orlando-to-La Guardia trek emerged from their kennels mid-flight, surprising passengers. Last March, two world-traveling waddlers from Sea World made an appearance on a Southwest flight to San Diego from San Francisco, where they attended a science convention.

SeaWorld penguins Pete and Penny attend the "Frozen Planet" premiere at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on March 8, 2012 in New York City.

Penguins On Vacation

Penguin Place is heading south for vacation next week.  Not so far south that we’ll be seeing penguins in their natural habitat, but far enough south that we’ll be able to see penguins while wearing a t-shirt and shorts, as in Seaworld in Orlando.  We will be accepting, but not shipping any orders for the week of January 21st to the 27th.  If you need some penguins asap, then don’t wait and order this week, but if there’s no rush or if it’s a Valentine’s Day order we will be getting all our penguin orders out from that week on January 30th and 31st.

Penguins waddling on the beach and soon so will I.

Penguins In Abu Dubai!?

The Penguin Post has learned that the oil rich Emirate of Abu Dubai is importing real penguins to promote the planned and ambitious indoor Ski Dubai / Snowdome project located in the Dubai Mall of the Emirates.  “Here Dubai shoppers will soon be able to get up close and personal with real penguins,” a Ski Dubai spokesman said after it was announced they would play host to a colony of penguins. The developer of the indoor ski slope, located in massive Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates, said it planned to build a special enclosure to host the birds as part of a multi-generation breeding program. The environment will “mirror the Antarctic,” Ski Dubai said in an emailed statement. “Visitors will be able to view the snow penguin’s natural antics.” The penguins will be on show from early February, in the statement said, after being relocated from US-based SeaWorld.

"Snow" penguins at Ski Dubai

Seaworld Chick Turns 25 (Days)

Caretakers at the SeaWorld San Diego Penguin Encounter say it will be another month before they know the gender of the newest emperor penguin chick. Spokeswoman Alexandra Kuty says sex is determined by the chick’s vocalizations. The 25-day-old chick will be introduced to the adult emperor colony when it is 4 months old. The penguin encounter is the only place in North America that successfully breeds emperor penguins. Spokeswoman Alexandra Kuty says there were 10 eggs this year but only one chick. It is the 21st emperor penguin hatched at SeaWorld. The chick weighed 12 ounces and was 4 inches tall when it was hatched. Today, it weighs nearly 2 pounds and is almost 7 inches tall. It will eventually be 4 feet tall and weigh around 99 pounds.

A Seaworld Penguin Proposal

Colin Cabalka, a California Boy, and Emily Wilson, a Florida gal, have quite the love story. Therefore, when it came time for the proposal, Colin did not disappoint. He had to pull a few strings at Sea World to make it all happen in their world famous Penguin Encounter, but it worked! Colin explains the significance of his proposal:

“The idea of the pengiun proposal started with the metaphor of penguins picking a mate for life. Emily asked me (Colin) to be her penguin about a few months after dating, and the metaphor has always been part of our relationship. When I decided I wanted to propose, I had to do something really big, and yet still original and significant to our relationship.”

“Along long time ago, a boy named Colin reached out of a bus window and gave cookies to two girls, Sarah and Shannan, in Cannes France at the Film Festival. These girls then told Colin that he would make a perfect match for Emily Wilson (Sarah’s sister in Florida) and that they would eventually get married. Colin was skeptical but also a little optimistic. Colin & Emily began talking long distance without ever meeting, sending videos to introduce themselves, emailing, texting, skyping, etc. Eventually they met in the airport when Colin went to pickup Sarah and EMILY jumped out. They started dating the day the met, and they fell for each other fast.” 8 months later…a surprise proposal in the Penguin Encounter at Seaworld . It just goes to show how a little fun, communication and some penguin passion can go along way.