Wimberley residents help protect endangered African penguins

Wimberley residents Kruger and Shannon du Plessis are all about protecting endangered African Penguins. So it was with anticipation that the du Plessis traveled to Waco for the grand opening of the brand new Penguin Shores habitat at the Cameron Park Zoo earlier this month. Shannon and Kruger work with partners in South Africa to help African penguins in the wild through their KruShan foundation.

Twenty-two African penguins from the Fort Worth Zoo were moved to the zoo’s new, state-of-the-art $12.8 million habitat.

“Eleven male and 11 female, now call Penguin Shores home, making it the largest colony in Texas,” said Shannon in emails we exchanged last week. “The eldest, Mauri, 31, and Rita, 19, partnered in 2008. Their offspring, Finley, eight years old, and his partner of four years, Possum, 22, and their three offspring, Theodore, Maple, and Winnie are part of the waddle.” A waddle, by the way, is what a group of penguins are called.

The glass-fronted habitat includes an underwater viewing area, a wave machine that mimics ocean waves, rockwork resembling their natural habitat’s rocky beaches, and nest boxes, which the penguins are already exploring. The night house is tucked off to the side, where the penguins sleep and escape the heat. A walk-in freezer holds the smelt, capelin, and herring that they feed on.

A tour of the facility was led by Duane Hills, Deputy Director of Cameron Park Zoo. When asked what draws him to African penguins, Hills said, “Penguins are a charismatic species and intriguing to watch. They are also a species you don’t see often. We are very excited to tell their story.”

Once numbering over a million, African penguins have been officially endangered since 2010, mainly due to human interference that began with egg collection and the discovery that penguin guano, which penguins used for nesting, was a lucrative fertilizer. The damage continues from overfishing, oil spills, and climate change. With a 99% population loss over the past century and an astonishing 8% population decline yearly, endangered African penguins face starvation and extinction in the wild within a decade.

“The odds are long, but we are okay with being underdogs for underdogs,” said Shannon. “Our hearts compel us to do what we can to protect these iconic, charismatic and adorable two-foot-tall birds with the help of our partners in South Africa.”

The Cameron Park Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is also a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. AZA accreditation means the zoo meets standards for animal care and management, veterinary programs and conservation. They follow Save Animals from Extinction guidelines which focus on human care and robust wild populations. The zoo has been accredited for 25 years.

Wimberley residents since 2010, Shannon and Kruger are longtime nature enthusiasts who became Hays County Master Naturalists in 2013. Shannon chaired the Wimberley Valley Dark Sky Committee as Wimberley earned the International Dark Sky Community designation in 2018.

“When we talk about our foundation,” Shannon said, “we often get one of two responses: ‘There are penguins in Africa?’ or ‘Oh, how cute!’” After the grand opening, the du Plessis heard children say, “Look, mom, there’s Rupert” and “Oh, I see Dottie!” They realized the children had named African Penguin plush toys purchased in the zoo’s gift shop after their namesakes in the habitat.

To learn more about the KruShan Foundation and its focus, go to krushanfoundation. org. The Cameron Park Zoo is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is located at 1701 N. 4th St. in Waco.