I’ve been working with Katie Kalafut and the Cincinnati Zoo for about a year now with their Little Blue Penguin movement database. Katie started collecting RFID data on the penguins to estimate how much time each was swimming and now my group is also following up with some more socially-focused analyses. All the data that we have so far (and that the many undergrads involved in my Penguin Data Clubs have been working with) was from the old penguin exhibit in the Children’s Zoo, which had a small swim space and only 8 antennas. The zoo has been working hard on a brand new habitat for them, which will have much more swim space and many more RFID antennas integrated into the exhibit.
The new exhibit at the zoo just opened and the penguins look like they are thoroughly enjoying their new space! In this clip, you can see an overview of the new space (which is part of the new Roo Valley exhibit). You can briefly catch a glimpse of Katie working to install all the antennas and Rickey Kinley (who collaborated with Katie on the first study) gives a great overview of the RFID system as well as the rest of the new amenities.
Here’s another video of the penguins enjoying some enrichment and chasing down live minnows in the big swim space
You can read more about our work with the penguins here
The zoo also opened a new African penguin exhibit, which will also have RFID data collection capabilities. They explain about that system, and show off the new habitat, here:
