These poor birds. I love penguins, I can spend an easy hour with them at the Lincoln Park Zoo so I found this very sad.


SAN FRANCISCO - An outbreak of chlamydia at the San Francisco Zoo has left a dozen penguins dead, according to a spokesman.

The bacteria, which was most likely transmitted to the birds by an infected seagull, is spread through airborne saliva or other bodily fluids, said Bob Jenkins, the zoo's director of animal care and conservation. A similar disease is sexually transmitted in humans.

"One quick exposure and you're off and running," Jenkins said, adding that at its height, nearly 80 percent of the zoo's penguin colony was infected. "It required very aggressive treatment on our part."

Zoo workers first noticed several lethargic birds about two months ago. The penguins that died were mostly original members of the colony and about 20-years old, Jenkins said. Their weakened immune systems led to kidney failure and respiratory distress, which eventually killed them. The average penguin's life span is 15 to 20 years.

Precautions were taken to ensure no other animals or human visitors were infected. Only certain keepers wearing special clothing and masks took care of the penguins, the whole area was routinely disinfected and the birds were treated with antibiotics, Jenkins said. He added this was the first chlamydia outbreak among the penguins.

Some of the zoo's 55 remaining penguins are still recovering, he said.

"It's a strong colony, so it seems to be bouncing back well," Jenkins said.

goddamn those slutty, slutty seagulls.

Awesome. I knew I could count on you chase. I was hoping you'd be the first.

Here's their problem... If they didn't like each other so much the disease wouldn't spread.

i'm seriously pissed off about this. can i keep a penguin as a pet? could i if i moved to wisconsin or minnesota? what are my options here?

I wish. I've asked for one as a present before.

It just seems really sad that so many zoos are having health issues with their animals lately.

Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago just lost the third and last of their elephants to death in the last couple years. Which is just horrid. They were in the process of moving this last one to a warmer climate and it died on the way.

And there were two gorillas, same zoo, both female, that died of a virus in the last few months.

Something is seriously fucked up there.

penguins are my favorite

seagulls are not

i knew screwing all those seagulls would come back to haunt me some day......

not to be nerdy, but i think this is referring to a different species of chlamydia that exists in many birds, and not the naughty one we're all thinking of. Usually it doens't affect birds, but since they have weak immune systems, these birds were at particular risk.

i guess that was pretty nerdy

Whew- I can go back to fucking seagulls now.

source please...I need to know before I go see my doctor.

Yeah, way to totally ruin all future STD jokes!

HANK HILL: Hey there, Bobby. I guess they found a cure for the cooties? Heh, heh, heh.
BOBBY HILL: I don't know. What are cooties?
HANK HILL: Well, when I was a boy, that's what they called the germs you got from girls.
BOBBY HILL: Oh, you mean like chlamydia?