Mochica, one of the world’s oldest penguins, dies at Oregon Zoo at age 31
By Web Staff
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PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) — The Oregon Zoo is mourning the loss of Mochica, a 31-year-old Humboldt penguin who was one of the oldest penguins on the planet.
Mochica hatched on July 6, 1990, at the Oregon Zoo and was hand-reared, which the zoo says was standard practice at the time. Mo, as he was known for short, enjoyed spending time with people, often choosing keepers’ quarters over the company of his fellow penguins in the Penguinarium, according to the zoo.
Wild Humboldt penguins seldom live past 20. Mo turned 31 in July and had been slowing down for several years, according to the zoo.
“He had a mature cataract in one eye, old-age haze in the other, bilateral arthritis in his hips. He was just a very old bird. It was hard for him to see, and at times difficult for him to walk,” said Koons. “Mochica was the oldest male of his species in any North American zoo or aquarium, maybe the whole world. His remarkable longevity says a lot about both his zest for life and the quality of care he received over the years.”
“It was pretty common to walk into the keeper kitchen area and find Mo ‘helping’ with the food prep or just hanging out with care staff there,” said Travis Koons, who oversees the zoo’s bird populations.
To ease Mo’s discomfort, care staff snuck a daily dose of meloxicam into his sustainable-seafood breakfast and scheduled regular laser-therapy sessions with specialists from Kenton Animal Hospital. After Mo’s conditions deteriorated, veterinary and care staff made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize him on Saturday.
“It’s an incredibly sad day for his care team and for everyone who spent time with this amazing bird,” Koons said. “We’ve all had times in our lives where animals have left an indelible mark on our hearts. Mochica has done that for thousands of people. He inspired generations.”
Humboldt penguins, which are native to the South American coastline off Peru and Chile, are classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The Oregon Zoo has supported Peru-based conservation organization ACOREMA’s work to protect the Humboldt penguin. ACOREMA monitors penguin mortality and works closely with San Andrés fishermen to mitigate the practice of hunting penguins for food.
Earlier this year, the zoo said goodbye to Inji, who was thought to be the oldest orangutan in the world. Inji was 61 years old when she died.
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