Penguin flock leaves mark on Mote staff

There was turmoil when an escaped penguin was seen floating in the water, away from its Penguin Island exhibit. That was until everyone realized it was just a gift-shop toy penguin that had blown into the water. All six of the black-footed penguins — Sly, South, Rudy, Oswald, Coaster and Ninja — were safe in the Penguin Island exhibit. This is just one of the stories from their stay at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium.

Senior Research Trainer Katharine Nicolaisen and Research Trainer Laura Denum have gotten to know the penguins well since their arrival Nov. 1 from Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, Calif. And they have plenty of stories — and bite wounds — to share.

The handlers keep a running contest on who has the biggest bite bruise. At the Oceanic Evening black-tie event at Mote, the trainers had to handle the penguins in black-tie apparel.

“By the end of the night, we were all covered in bite marks and penguin poop,” Nicolaisen says.

When cleaning the 6,000-foot exhibit, the solution the trainers use can make the uneven rockwork slippery. Though no one has fallen in yet, almost every trainer has gotten “a boot full” of water, they say.
“It’s a messy job,” Denum confirms.

Both women have pinpointed each penguin’s personalities. They have even developed their own lingo over the past five months.

“Happy head” is a term used to describe a happy or flirtatious penguin. It’s when it gets so excited, it shakes its head back and forth.

“The (personalities) can come out of anywhere and change in a second,” says Nicolaisen.

A penguin can go from happy heading to giving the stink eye, a signifier of an aggressive penguin ready to attack. And they love to give the stink eye to new people.

“Penguins test new people — the new interns were initiated with bite marks,” says Nicolaisen.

All of the trainers went through their own initiations and have slowly been considered part of the flock.
The “Penguin Penthouse,” a name the handlers coined, is the upper borough at the Penguin Island exhibit, which was made to look like a real-life habitat. Every penguin has occupied the top-dog (top-penguin, in this case) position throughout their stay. The penguins will say good-bye to Mote April 14.

“It’s been a great learning experience and a ton of fun,” says Denum.

Even with a learning curve — and a few bites along the way — the penguins have waddled their way into the Mote staff’s and visitors’ hearts.

PENGUIN PERSONALITIES
Sly
Color band identifier: Blue S
Birthday: Aug. 1, 2003
He’s the most shy. But since he has been at Mote he’s come out of his shell. He prefers the left borough on the top shelf of the penguin exhibit, where he keeps trouble-making brothers Oswald and South in check. He acts as the gatekeeper, or social mediator.

South
Color band identifier: Orange H
Birthday: Feb. 3, 2009
South is Oswald’s younger brother and wingman. Like the younger brother, he follows Oswald’s every move. The duo currently occupies the Penguin Penthouse on the top right shelf of the exhibit.

Oswald
Color band identifier: Yellow D
Birthday: Oct. 16, 2008
Oswald has the stink-eye look down to a science and gives it the most out of any the penguins at the exhibit. He’s never seen far from South. Oswald is the biggest troublemaker and likes to push the other penguins around.

Coaster
Color band identifier: Yellow S
Birthday: Aug. 26, 2003
Coaster is the athlete of the group and loves to swim. He also enjoys interacting with children when they view the exhibit and enjoys putting on a water show for them.

Rudy
Color band identifier: Green R
Birthday: Jan. 10, 2009
Rudy is one of the trainers’ favorite penguins, although it’s hard for them to pick a favorite. He is the social butterfly and thrives on human interaction. This is a bird that thinks he is human. He’s curious and is great for educational activities.

Ninja
Color band identifier: Green N
Birthday: Oct. 29, 2010
Ninja is the only female among the group. She came as a baby and has made the biggest change since her arrival to Mote. She was a little skittish at first but has socialized since. She’s become confident and is the only bird that will stand up to Oswald.