Calgary Zoo unable to find cause of ‘extraordinary and tragic’ penguin deaths
CALGARY — A Calgary Zoo investigation was unable to find out what caused the deaths of seven Humboldt penguins last month.
Director of animal care Jamie Dorgan said Thursday it appears something spooked the penguins in the middle of the night, which caused them to suddenly jump into one of two pools in their holding area.
Seven of the zoo’s 22 Humboldt penguins were unable to get out safely and a necropsy determined that they died from drowning.
“They’re a social species. They tend to all react to things together as a group,” said Dorgan.