Detroit Zoo: Polk Penguin Conservation Center

 Just two days after visiting the Toledo Zoo, my friend and I traveled to Detroit to see the first zoo I ever visited.  It would have been 1966.  I was a first grader in Mrs. Mulvaney's class.  She was bat-shit crazy, so I remember my mother volunteered to chaperone the trip and was in charge of a little group of 5.  My mother wasn't a complainer or a meddler, but once she sized my teacher, she wasn't convinced that the woman could get 26 six-year-olds to the zoo and back!  I had such a good mom.  

Our visit was far less perilous!  We arrived and found a wonderful parking space.  Made out way to the ticket booth.  Entered the zoo and wow!  Standing not too far off (thought nothing at the Detroit Zoo is close to anything else) six red-shirt clad volunteers were clustered awaiting guest encounters.  My people!  I approached the first one to make eye contact and engaged him in a conversation about what was important to see, and how he'd come to volunteer, etc.  The older gentleman had been volunteering for 30 years.  Says something about the quality of the program.  He immediately pointed my attention toward a large structure nearby, the Polk Penguin Conservation Center.  

It is the newest habitat structure at the zoo. In appearance it suggest a large iceberg.  He helped me to see how the main entrance from the vantage point of guests approaching it from the main entrance looked like the head of a penguin.  Very clever. He was very proud of its stats.  Largest Penguin habitat in North America.  Home to six species.  Covers 2 acres.  Designed around multi-storied continuous water tanks with depths of 25 feet, and a total water capacity of 326,000 gallons.  All very impressive.  And yet, I wondered if there were some component that allowed the Penguins to just be outside.  On top of all of the other amazing aspects of the habitat.  Alas, there isn't.  

The integrated structure is utterly amazing.  I have a special spot in my heart for penguins.  Climate change has them in the bulls-eye of extinction life few other species, though the list growing exponentially.  Smaller interior only habitats at other zoos really depress me.  In particular the Kansas City Zoo was super sad.  I wasn't pleased by the habitat at the Denver Zoo or the Great Plains Zoo in South Dakota either.  I'm picky!  

Besides the habitat for the Penguins--which was amazing.  There was also a gallery of photographs and displays highlighting the ill-fated expedition of the Ernest Shackleton.  Opened to the public in 2016, the Polk Penguin Conservation Center won the 2017 AZA award for excellence in habitat design.  

The Polk Penguin Conservation Center 

The first view from the main entrance with the south viewing of the main habitat space.

The main habitat space

King Penguins

Aptenodytes patagonicus

Macaroni Penguins

Eudyptes chrysolophus

Shackleton exhibit artifacts and replicas in the main lobby.

Below there is a photo gallery and extended exploration the ill-fated Shackleton expedition.

In the beginning....

There were a dozen of more photos of the crew engaged in mundane, routine moments.  It really humanized the expedition in a way that I had never experienced before.

Yet the fate was inevitable.

Reaching the bowels of the habitat provide underwater and immersive viewing opportunity and increased my appreciation of the engineering feat that was behind the design and construction of this building.

The view of the main habitat from opposite side.

Another view of members of the King Penguin colony.

An image of all five species that call this habitat home.

Southern Rock Hopper Penguin, Eudyptes chrysocomes - Vulnerable

Macaroni Penguin, Eudyptes chrysolophus - Vulnerable

Chinstrap Penguin, Pygoscelis antarcticus - Least Concerned

Gentoo Penguin, Pygoscelis papua - Least Concerned

King Penguin, Aptonodytes patagonicus - Least Concerned

There are 18 species of Penguins in the world.  All live in the southern hemisphere.  Here you have three of the six genus' represented.  It is good to be able to compare them.  I wonder how successful breeding across five species can be?  Just a wonder, not a complaint.  In the wilds, Penguins keep to themselves vis a vis species.