Pittsburgh Zoo's macaroni penguin Mickey, one of North America's oldest, celebrates 40th birthday
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A macaroni penguin at the Pittsburgh Zoo named Mickey is one of the oldest in North America after celebrating her 40th birthday.
Mickey turned 40 over the weekend, far outliving penguins in the wild, which have an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years. Under the care of humans, penguins have a median life expectancy of about 26 years, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Mickey hatched in 1984 and came to Pittsburgh from SeaWorld San Diego in 2003. The zoo says her longevity is a "testament to the excellent care she receives" from staff. Her caretakers called the aquarium's Golden Girl "fabulously feisty."
She was surprised with a party on Pittsburgh Today Live, eating a cake decorated with fish, shrimp and scallop icing after she finished her morning swim.
"Mickey is a gem and the sweetest penguin in our colony! She was hand-reared and loves everyone that she meets," said Aquarist Shanna Gay. "She is well-known to trumpet — a sound of happiness — when she meets new people!"
Macaroni penguins got their names because the golden tuft of feathers on top of their heads inspired the 18th-century English explorers who first discovered them in Antarctica. Back then, a man who wore flashy feathers in his hat was called a "macaroni."
While macaroni penguins are the world's most abundant penguin species with up to 100,000 individuals, there have been widespread population declines and their conservation status is classified as vulnerable, the zoo says.
