Penguins at the Lodge gave students a chance to learn more about penguins and other aspects of marine life. This event was hosted at Stockton University on Saturday, March 28, from 4:00-4:45 P.M., helmed by Stockton Aquarium and Aquaculture Club (SAAC) in partnership with Jenkinson’s Aquarium. 

The event was announced in late January, around the time of the Get Involved Fair. Spots to see this feathery creature filled quickly, reaching full capacity just a few weeks before the event took place.

Representatives from Jenkinson’s, Penguin Caretaker, Sam, lead the presentation while Conservation Coordinator Carol assisted. Sam discussed many features about penguins, such as how penguins have two, thick layers of feathers, and how they possess a uropygial gland, or oil gland, which lets them excrete a layer of oil over their body to repel water for swimming.

She also discussed procedures the staff team does, like candling, where they would shine a flashlight through an egg to see its vitals. She also detailed how Penguins have their own unique behaviors. “Some of the Penguins are super picky, even down to the direction the food is facing,” Sam explained. 

Finally, Sam retrieved the star of the show; Elmer, the South African Black-footed Penguin, four years old and the aquarium’s newest ambassador. She stated that Elmer has an issue with depth perception, “Basically, when he sees this table and the floor, he looks at that as one thing, so he will try to jump off it.” Elmer would occasionally scurry around the table as she spoke.

On his right wing, he wore a beaded bracelet, including one bead from his mother and one from his father. “We put the bracelets on the right wing for the boys because ‘boys think they’re always right’.” Sam said jokingly, eliciting laughs from the audience. She continued about Elmer’s namesake; when he was still in the egg, his father, Dr. Bunsen, rolled the egg out of the nest, cracking it. The team then moved quickly to close the shell, resorting to Elmer’s glue! 

Q&A was open to the audience shortly after. One member asked about gay penguins, to which Sam and Carol responded “Everybody has gay penguins!”, followed by revealing Elmer’s mother mated with a female penguin following Dr. Bunsen’s relocation. Following a question regarding environmental impact the representatives informed the audience about sustainably-sourced seafood via Seafoodwatch.org, as anchovy fishing is harming penguins’ food sources, which actually live in more temperate climates. 

As quick as participants and the presenters came, they left in the same fashion when the event concluded. Afterwards, Alexander Wroblewski, Marine Bio Wildlife Management Student and President of SAAC, weighed in on the event and penguins.  “They’re a great ambassador species…charismatic, meaning that they’re highly publicized, so they’re already in the public eye, or they’re something that can be viewed as cute…It brings in a lot of engagement with students, and it’s a great way for students to learn a little bit more about…penguins, which are endangered and worthy of protection, and…what a career in being an environmental educator and aquarist can entail.” This recurring event was started by former SAAC President, Natalie Cooper, who also had a love for penguins.

Jenkinson’s Aquarium is located at 300 Ocean Avenue in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. There, they house many other marine animals like sharks, seals, monkeys, and many types of amphibians. The aquarium is open 10 A.M.-5 P.M. daily, but they have extended hours to 6 P.M. until April 12!