Mystic Aquarium

Tracy Camp, primary penguin trainer, recently left for Cape Town, South Africa, to assist with health assessment research on African penguins in collaboration with the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). During her two-week stay, Tracy will assist researchers with data collection and recording on Dyer, Dassen and Robben Islands and will run samples in their lab.

Tracy's trip kicks off an annual presence for Mystic Aquarium in South Africa. Moving forward, Senior Vice President of Research and Zoological Operations Dr. Tracy Romano and scientist Dr. Tracy Spoon will be conducting long-term research on African penguins with SANCCOB. Through the health assessment and research, these teams hope to find information that will help them better understand the rapid decline of the African penguin population and save this amazing species from extinction.

Keep reading to get Tracy’s firsthand account of the work being done in South Africa to help the African penguin.