The National Aviary’s First African Penguin has Died
Stanley – named for the NHL’s Stanley Cup – was about 23 years old and lived most of his life at the North Side attraction.
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
Stanley, the National Aviary’s very first African Penguin, has died.
Named for National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup, Stanley came to the aviary in 2001 at just 2 months old.
He was part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan, and his great-grandparents came from South Africa in the 1960s to help the AZA found the program.
According to the Aviary, Stanley was nationally known for the bond he shared with his mate, Dottie, who remained by his side throughout his life and health issues. In 2020, he recovered from a chest mass. He turned 20 in 2021, which is considered the “geriatric” age for African penguins.
About 18 months ago, the aviary shared that Stanley was dealing with age-related spine-and-joint issues. He suddenly was not able to stand or walk well.
“Since then, our animal care and veterinary teams dedicated their efforts to helping him recover, including hydrotherapy, physical therapy and even acupuncture,” according to its Facebook post. “While he made progress over the last several months, providing us with hope and encouragement to continue treatment efforts, he ultimately was not able to progress to recovery.
“With deepest sorrows, our veterinary team faced the difficult, but only humane, decision in Stan’s best interest.”
Dottie is now back in Aviary’s Penguin Point with the rest of the colony.
