A 14-year-old penguin died Tuesday from a suspected infection at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. the aquarium attached.
The Magellanic penguin, named Roxy, was brought to the aquarium from Brazil in 2011 as a rescue. She mated with a male penguin, Floyd, and raised seven chicks, the aquarium said.
“(Roxy) captured the hearts of our staff and visitors early on,” said Brett Long, senior director of mammals and birds. “She was curious about people and had a warm personality, while being one of the most mature and wise penguins in the habitat.”
The aquarium’s statement said Roxy became ill on Sunday, two days before she died. She became lethargic and had a loss of appetite.
While she was kept under close observation, tests revealed she had an infection that was most likely avian malaria, a “serious disease in penguins,” the aquarium said.
While all penguins receive preventative malaria medication year-round, the aquarium said there are occasional breakthrough cases. The disease is not transmissible between birds and cannot be transmitted to humans.
According to the aquarium, the average lifespan of Magellanic penguins, which are native to the coasts of South America, is between 10 and 20 years.
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