Magellanic penguins Pete and Penny visit Richards

Zoologists from Busch Gardens in Tampa recently visited Richards High School will some of their animal ambassadors including Pete and Penny, a pair of Magellanic penguins from South America. 

Pete and Penny wandered about one of the biology labs while the zoologists spoke to students.  Cute as possible, Pete and Penny came with a message.

Aside from discussing each animal’s physical attributes, diet habits and social life, Busch Gardens staff members talked about the risks to each.  The most significant, as students knew, come from humans.

Deforestation in particular poses a risk to marmosets and lemurs.  Both native to South America, populations of these species of monkey have dwindled as logging companies cut down trees.

“There are so many different reasons (for deforestation), but humans are always behind them,” one of the zoologists said.

In Brazil, wood pulp production poses a grave threat.  The zoologists said that people can support conservation efforts by paying close attention to the products they buy. 

“Everything comes with a label on it.  But not all are accurate or truly forthcoming,” the zoologist said.

For example, most ice cream contains palm oil.  Companies chop down palm trees, essential to rain forests, for the oil.