African penguins have gone to university in America. Well, sort of…
African penguins and rabbits have been welcomed at an American university, where students study their romance, reproduction and conservation.
African penguins have recently gone to university in America, although they will not be writing exams.
Instead, they are helping students study the science of conservation breeding. Meanwhile, rabbits are also getting involved, although their contribution comes from the other end.
It is all part of research at the University of Rhode Island (URI), where two undergraduates spent their summer working with threatened wildlife.
AFRICAN PENGUINS HAVE ENTERED THE CLASSROOM
Evan Morgan is studying marine biology and wildlife conservation at URI.
His summer project took him to Mystic Aquarium, where he watched African penguins interact and form social bonds. He is helping researchers investigate whether facial temperature changes can reveal how penguins respond to different situations.
That includes socialising with other penguins and receiving head scratches from trainers.
Thermal cameras record changes around the birds’ faces while researchers observe their behaviour.
The theory comes from studies in mammals, where changes in blood flow can affect surface temperature during emotional responses. Morgan is helping test whether the same approach works with penguins.
THESE AFRICAN PENGUINS HAVE A SERIOUS ASSIGNMENT
The research may sound like penguin matchmaking, but the stakes are serious. African penguins were classified as Critically Endangered globally by the IUCN in 2024. Research published in 2024 found that their breeding population fell by 77.8% over 30 years, from about 44 300 pairs in 1993 to about 9 900 in 2023.
Successful breeding programmes therefore need to identify pairings that are likely to produce chicks. Morgan’s research could help zoos and aquariums understand those relationships.
In other words, the penguins may have skipped university applications, but they are contributing to some serious postgraduate-level research.
THE RABBITS HAVE THEIR OWN RESEARCH PROJECT
Sophia Webster is studying medical laboratory science at URI. Her project involves New England cottontails at Roger Williams Park Zoo, where researchers are developing a pregnancy test using rabbit faeces.
Yes, the students really are processing droppings in the name of science.
The test measures hormones in faecal samples.
Earlier pregnancy detection could help the zoo make breeding decisions sooner and reduce stress for the animals.
More than 500 New England cottontails have been released across New England since the zoo’s conservation breeding programme began in 2010.
So there you have it: At URI, university research involves penguin romance, rabbit poo and conservation.
It may not sound like the usual campus experience, but these students are learning that saving species sometimes starts with watching a penguin’s face or examining what a rabbit leaves behind.