Whisper, the newest member of the African penguin family at Sea World, is now just over a month old and weighs 1.9kg.
She emerged so quietly from her egg that she lived up to her name from her very first moments. During a routine nest check, the animal care team found her safely tucked beneath her parents, Elmer and Rascal.
Whisper has since ventured out of the nest and can often be found cuddled up beside a fluffy penguin toy named Teddy, which is almost as tall as she is.
But her story began long before she hatched.
Whisper is the granddaughter of Pepper, a much-loved rescued African penguin who arrived at Sea World in 1985 after being found stranded on the KZN South Coast by Natal Parks Board officer Abie Erasmus.
The penguins in human care can also live well beyond the average life expectancy of their wild counterparts. They receive nutritious food, specialised veterinary and husbandry care, protection from predators and environmental threats, and habitats designed to meet their physical, behavioural and social needs throughout their lives.
“It is always a privilege to care for these extraordinary birds,” said Assistant Curator of Mammals and Birds Kelly de Klerk. “Whisper connects us to Pepper’s remarkable story and represents a new generation of hope. We look forward to watching her grow and play her own part in the future of African penguins.”
From Pepper, the rescued penguin found on the South Coast in 1985, to Rascal and now little Whisper, three generations have created one special family story.
For an endangered species, Whisper represents something much bigger than a new arrival: another link in a conservation population and another reason to hope for the future of African penguins.
