2 of the 20 penguins found covered in petroleum now dead
Two of the 20 penguins found this week on the shores of Valdes Peninsula, Chubut, Argentina, covered in petroleum, died from spontaneous malnutrition, while four others remain in serious condition, the Patagonian Nature Foundation (FPN) reported today. The Foundation, better known by its Spanish acronym FPN is in charge of rescue and animal care."Unfortunately we lost two [penguins] to the extreme degree of dehydration they suffered," Carla Poleschi, Coordinator of the ecologist agency said. According to the same source, the others are at rest, feeding so that they can regain their weight.
"When they stabilize, they will be washed with detergent to get the oil they have in their feathers off and within 40 days they will be released to continue their normal lives in the waters of the Argentine sea," she said.
Experts are worried about the season during which the animals appeared covered in oil. They explained that Magellanic penguins migrate towards the coasts of Patagonia only during the months of August and September.
Game wardens and other conservation groups were put on alert due to the relatively high number of penguins that were affected.
As a precautionary measure, FPN also surveyed beaches near Valdes Peninsula.
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PHOTO 1 by rogiro
PHOTO 2 Magellanic Penguin, Patagonia by Steve Deger
PHOTO 3 The Scream - A Magellanic Penguin by Flickmor