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June 8, 2007
Cessna Aircraft Makes a Splash with New Penguin Exhibit
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These tuxedoed birds “fly” underwater like little torpedoes. |
Penguins donýt fly like other birds. With tubby bodies, dense bones, paddle-like flippers, and a comical waddle, penguins are labeled flightless. But no one ever told them that. These tuxedoed birds dive headfirst and ýflyý underwater like little torpedoes.
Now the people of Wichita, Kansas, (the home of Cessna Aircraft) and friends from other locales can see these creatures in action at the Sedgwick County Zooýs new Cessna Penguin Coveýhome to a colony of Humboldt penguins.
The $1.5 million exhibit, which opened May 25, 2007, mimics the birds' native South American coastline and features a rocky backdrop with carved-out coves flanking a 42,000-gallon pool. As the zoo's first marine aquatic exhibit, it's expected to bring in 25,000 visitors and $200,000 in revenue this year.
A Great Place for People and Penguins
ýI feel it is important that the city has activities that attract and retain our employees and their families,ý says Cessna CEO Jack Pelton. ýPenguin exhibits across the nation have been very popular. So it seemed fitting that when Sedgwick County Zoo was considering a penguin exhibit, that Cessna get involved.ý Wichita is now the 13th city in the U.S. to showcase Humboldt penguins.
The project kicked off in 2005 with a grant from the Cessna Foundation, which also supports the United Way, Boys & Girls Clubs, the Kansas Food Bank, and other organizations representing local arts, health, and education.
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A crowd of hundreds waited in line to get a glimpse on opening day. |
Commitment to Community
"Penguins are popular in the movies. They're interesting, fun to watch, and there's a comical connection to our industry the way they jump in the water and 'fly,'" said Cessna Foundation Trustee and Senior VP of Human Resources Jim Walters, who welcomed the opportunity to help bring penguins to Wichita.
The crowd of hundreds who excitedly waited in line to get a glimpse on opening day apparently agreed with Walter's thoughts.
Seafood Spurs Underwater "Flight"
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Penguins entertain and educate children and their parents about conservation. |
According to Joe Barkowski, curator of the zoo's bird department, each Humboldt penguin eats one to two pounds of fish a day. It's that love of seafood and the need to get to it quickly that has evolved the penguins' ability to "fly" underwater.
"They've adapted over the years to have a torpedo body and elongated flippers that propel them through the water," Mr. Barkowski said. "Their feet are rudders that help them turn and effortlessly glide."
While the penguins entertain the public, Barkowski educates children and their parents about conservation, endangered species, and the environment. "Coastlines are under pressure from people and from oil spills. Even if we could breed these animals, if we don't conserve the places where they come from, they'll have no place to go back to."
Pelton hopes that Cessna Penguin Cove and its plucky underwater "fliers" captivate zoo visitors for years to come.
ýFor me, it reflects our leadership in the community and our courage to challenge all aspects of flight, even if it is just to dream,ý he said. ýEighty years ago, Clyde Cessna, our founder, dreamed of flight and made it a reality. Today, even our well-dressed feathered friends, as part of Cessna, can dream too.ý
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