About "Pierre the Pengin:"
"Pierre the Penguin" is the true story of Pierre, the California Academy of Sciences' famous wetsuit-wearing penguin. Pierre is the oldest African penguin in our colony. This story started in 2007, when Pierre wasn't molting (replacing his feathers) properly.
He was cold, and his fellow penguins didn't recognize him, so Pam designed a custom penguin wetsuit for him to keep warm - something that had never been done before.
It worked, and Pierre was able to re-grow his feathers and rejoin the rest of the colony. This spring, Pierre's story was published in a children's book titled "Pierre the Penguin, A True Story," told in rhyme by Jean Marzollo and illustrated by Laura Regan.
Visitors can see Pierre and his mate Homey at the Academy. He's the one wearing a blue band on his right wing.
The book is available for purchase at www.calacademy.org/store
About the Academy of Sciences' penguins:
Visit the California Academy of Sciences on any given day, and you'll find visitors oohing over the giant anaconda, marveling at the enormous freshwater fish of the Amazon, and staring in wonder at the desert lizards. But what stops them in their tracks are the South African penguins.
Penguins are so popular at the Academy they have their own auditorium where visitors can sit on benches five deep. Penguins have recently been the subject of several documentary films and even an animated children's movie.
But films are not the reason why people respond to penguins. According to senior aquatic biologist Pamela Schaller, people have always loved penguins because they identify with them so strongly.
For more information about the Academy of Sciences, go to www.calacademy.org
55 Music Concourse Dr.
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco CA, 94118
Phone: (415) 379-8000
