Renowned Penguin Expert Lectures at Detroit Zoo: Watch

ROYAL OAK, MI – The Detroit Zoo will celebrate the upcoming opening of a world-class penguin habitat on Sunday, April 10, when world-renowned polar ecologist and penguin expert Dr. Bill Fraser talks from 6-7:15 p.m. at the zoo’s Ford Education Center.

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The presentation, “A Natural Experiment Reveals the Secret World of Gentoo Penguins,” will explore Fraser’s four decades of research as head of the Polar Oceans Research Group, which operates out of the U.S. Palmer Research Station in Antarctica.

Fraser and his team of scientists and support staff — which this year included DZS staff — have made many discoveries about the Antarctic ecosystem and the impacts of climate change.

The talk is open to the public but, due to limited seating, tickets must be reserved in advance. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here under “events.” All proceeds will benefit the Polar Oceans Research Group.

(Photo of Dr. Bill Fraser by Rodrigo Moraga)

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• Zoo’s Penguin Conservation Center to Open in Early 2016
• Penguins! See Detroit Zoo’s Newest Residents: Watch
• Shackleton ‘Endurance’ Exhibit Shows Penguin Center Inspiration

The western Antarctica peninsula is one of the fastest-warming regions on Earth, and research on penguin life histories has provided a unique window for understanding the mechanisms through which changes have affected virtually all aspects of Antarctic food webs and sea ice.

Fraser has served as an advisor on the development of the Polk Penguin Conservation Center, which opens April 18 at the Detroit Zoo.

As the largest facility for penguins in the world, the penguin center features a 326,000-gallon, 25-foot-deep aquatic area where visitors can watch more than 80 penguins of four species explore their habitat. An underwater gallery and two acrylic underwater tunnels provide views as the birds swim, soar and deep-dive – something that is otherwise impossible to see, even in the wild.