Another penguin joins waddle at Dakota Zoo

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - The penguins at the Dakota Zoo have been a main attraction since six of them arrived in September. Now, there’s another member of their waddle.

Shay, a male African penguin from Busch Gardens in Florida, joins Banks, Doug, Joop, Divit, Ambrose, and Nick in Bismarck. He was molting when the other birds arrived, so had to wait to make the journey North.

“He went through all sorts of testing, disease testing and things, to make sure he was healthy. And when we put him back in there was barely a squabble,” said Dakota Zoo director Terry Lincoln.

In the wild these penguins live in 29 colonies between Namibia and Algoa Bay in Africa. They are highly endangered. The Dakota Zoo uses a Species Survival Plan and works with other zoos across the country to help these birds in the wild. Dakota Zoo is set to receive two more male penguins from Arizona before welcoming female penguins next year.