Kuwait Times

Published Date: July 02, 2009
By Ben Garcia, Staff writer

KUWAIT: Penguins live in Antarctica. At least that was my initial idea about penguins that some readers probably had as well. But, not all penguins live in the southern hemisphere, which is the coldest point on earth. Although most penguins are from Antarctica, there are several species of penguins that can live or tolerate warmer temperatures. Such species are African penguins. Eight of these penguins (four male and four female) are now being exhibited at the Kuwait Scientific Center in Salmiya. The cente
r will be their home for the rest of their lives. Kuwait Times met with Salah Behbehani, the head keeper for the penguins, to learn a bit more about Kuwait's newest expatriates.

KT: Can you tell us how the Scientific Center acquired African penguins?

Behbehani: Acquiring penguins was not an easy task for the Scientific Center. Prior to approval, the center was subjected to a series of inspections by a team of experts from the European Association for Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA), where we are registered as a member. EAZA keeps records of animals who have been born or died in captivity, but they also distribute animals to their members. When the center decided to welcome penguins, EAZA immediately inspected our facilities and trained people to care for the
penguins.

KT: What other procedures have you completed to acquire the penguins?

Behbehani: Prior to shipping penguins to Kuwait, I spent weeks at the Living Coast Aquarium in the United Kingdom. My task was to get closer to the penguins and get to know them well by learning about the way they move, their environment, their traits and attitudes and the food they eat. I am glad to have had real training from EAZA. When I came back from the UK, I was assigned to head the team of penguin keepers. I trained them and helped them understand penguin's traits and attitudes. I trained them in e
verything about penguins - from food to caring for penguins. I also secured documents and took care of paperwork, which was needed to make sure that the penguins were properly handled and that they would arrive here in Kuwait safe and sound. Upon arrival in Kuwait, the government here inspected the penguins with a team of veterinarian doctors. The procedure was normal for all living animals entering the country and it ensured that the animals were properly handled and that no diseases or sicknesses were ca
rried by them.

KT: What did you do to ensure the penguins were in safe hands when they arrived at the Scientific Center?

Behbehani: We have veterinarians on staff and my team here was waiting for them. Prior to their arrival, I shared my knowledge of penguins with my colleagues. We know that they have been subjected to a very painful process of separation, and the subsequent journey placed them under a great deal of stress, so we handled them carefully. Imagine separating these animals from about 80 penguins at the Living Coast Aquarium and placing them in a water tank, releasing them into a whole new environment. It's a ver
y stressful process for the animal, and this kind of stress can kill them. Thank God they were all fine when they arrived. We started to befriend the penguins and tried to convince them that we care for them and that nobody wanted to hurt them.

KT: Are there any specific dos and don'ts you follow in caring for the penguins?

Behbehani: There are five of us on the team. One thing I told them is to avoid wearing any perfumes. The penguins have a sensitive sense of smell and they hate chemicals. In our facility, we wear uniforms. We wanted our penguins, especially the handlers, to always wear the same color of uniforms the very first day they saw us. Animals like penguins will trust you if you show them love. They will know you and they will know that you are caring for them, so they'll be good to you. Penguins can detect any sli
ght changes in your heartbeat and temperature; they are very particular with that.

KT: When did the penguins arrive in Kuwait? Can you share some more information about the African penguins with us?

Behbehani: The penguins arrived in Kuwait on June 23 in a water tank on a British Airways special cargo flight from the UK. They are aged between 2 and 3 years old. The penguins are medium sized birds, or about 60-70 cm tall, and they weigh up to 3.5 kilograms. Fish is their main food and they are fed twice a day with approximately half a kilo of fish. Wings and their webbed feet help the penguins swim or 'fly' underwater. Their environment's temperature is about 22 C, but they can live in areas closer to
16 C. So, it's really an advantage to have them here in our country, where the temperature at the facility is regulated at 23 C. Our facility's temperature can be compared to where they were actually born. We get their food from the local market. We do not give live fish to any of our marine animals here at the center. That is not ethically allowed by religion or animal rights regulations.

KT: Can you share some of the penguins' distinct characteristics with us?

Behbehani: African penguins are classified as monogamous. If they find a partner when they reach sexual maturity of about four years old, they mate and stick to one partner for life. It's really amazing that they know who their partner is in the wild considering their large population. They will stick to their one particular partner until they die. Both will also care for their chicks. African penguin species can spend 80 percent of their lives in the water. They are found in South Africa. They do not need
ice or freezing temperatures, but they do like to play in cooler climates.