You know we love to talk about animals, not only those who lived under Michael Jackson’s care but also others who are somewhat related to the King of Pop by doing MJ moves or just named after the Michael world!
The oldest Magellanic penguin at the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens — one of the oldest penguins living under human care anywhere in the world — died Wednesday at the age of 40, the zoo reported.
The estimated age of the male, called Captain Eo, was well over the species’ average life expectancy of 20 to 30 years, the zoo said in a statement.
Captain Eo was named for a 1980s Michael Jackson short film that was a Disneyland attraction and he was the last remaining founding member of the zoo’s Magellanic penguin colony.
The aging animal had lost much of his eyesight and hearing and needed special feeding techniques, the zoo said.
Magellanic penguin are native to South America. They can grow more than 2 feet (60 centimeters) tall and weight as much as 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms).
Captain Eo arrived at the zoo in 1984 when 52 wild Magellanic penguins were brought in to found a colony on Penguin Island, a habitat that includes a large outdoor pool along with burrows and rocky landscapes to mimic their native habitat, the zoo said.
Captain EO’s legacy lives on through his 26 offspring, 31 grandchildren and eight great grand children.
Rest in peace little Captain Eo!
