CRANFORD — Ozwald “Ozzy” an adorable African penguin, recently visited Cranford Public Library.
Samantha Messina and Jennifer Lengares-Meyer from Jenkinson’s Aquarium in Point Pleasant gave an educational presentation, followed by a live appearance from Ozzy.
Lengares-Meyer has worked as a penguin supervisor for 14 years. She said she decided to become a marine biologist at age 6.
Messina worked at Jenkinsons for almost four years, two years with penguins. She’s an interpreter and grew up going to the aquarium. “I went to the aquarium in EPCOT and fell in love with the manatees,” she said. “I wanted to work in an aquarium.”
Lengares-Meyer presented many facts about penguins. They only live on half the earth, starting at the south pole and do not go above the equator.
Penguins come from the Galapagos Islands, New Zealand, Africa and Australia. “Most penguins never saw snow in their entire lives,” said Lengares-Meyer.
The penguin is a bird. They have beaks, feathers and wings. They also lay eggs. The only difference is they don’t fly. Their little wings help them swim. Some can swim as fast as 25 mph.
Penguins eat a lot of food. They don’t have teeth and swallow the fish whole. They also defecate every 10 minutes.
Their color is black and white to act as a camouflage.
Penguins mate for life. While mating, male penguins give gifts such as rocks, sticks and shells, which are used to build a nest. A penguin is full-grown at three months.
The African penguin is critically endangered and may be extinct in six years.
Ozzy is 7 years old and weighs 11 pounds. His older brother Shadow is 40. He’s the oldest penguin in North America.
“Forty is spectacular,” said Lengares-Meyer.
At Jenkinsons, a vet visits every week to check the penguins. Health issues of concern include malaria, yellow fever and West Nile virus.
The 90-minute program included a question-and-answer session and the opportunity to see Ozzy up close, though patrons were not permitted to touch him. He walked around a table, carefully monitored by Messina.
Michael Rosania, of Cranford, said the program was very educational and interactive. “Entertaining for kids, kept their attention,” he said. “Kids could ask questions, feel important.”
Carol Brady, of Cranford, said, “I love that they brought the penguin. It was nice. So well informed.”
This program was sponsored by Friends of the Library.
Visit Cranford Library at: https://www.cranfordlibrary.org/.
Photos by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta
