Waddle We Do Without Penguins?
Patty McGill, PhD
Independent Senior Conservation Scientist
National Aviary, Pittsburgh, PA
In this presentation, Dr. Patty McGill will discuss the conservation status of penguins, with particular focus on the sub-tropical species in South America and southern Africa. Patty will show some common threads among species, particularly threats they face and conservation actions being deployed. For the past 10 years, Patty has been leading a program among 40 zoo and aquarium partners which focuses on saving the critically endangered African penguin from extinction. Projects she will describe include several that are focused on stopping the decline, a few focused on understanding long-term critical issues and finding appropriate conservation solutions, and a third group that focus on connecting the population of African penguins in zoos & aquariums with conservation in the wild. These projects range from innovative artificial nest boxes to novel ways of determining the quality of the prey base for penguins around key colonies to veterinary studies to school programs. Her final comments will reveal the future needs of these conservation projects on behalf of African penguins. Join the waddle! …
Dr. Patty McGill is enthusiastic about conservation in its many forms and focuses on birds—penguins in particular. Patty now lives in Sisters and works part-time as Independent Senior Conservation Scientist for the National Aviary in Pittsburgh. Prior to ‘retirement’ she worked at the Dallas Zoo as Chief Scientist and as Vice President for Conservation & Education for 6 years. During that time, she also worked as an executive on loan to The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), specifically to help with the design and development of the AZA SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) program. Previously she worked at Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo for 22 years—as Curator of Birds then finally as Senior Vice President for Animal Programs. Along with managing the bird collection and programs, Patty spent some time investigating ultraviolet vision and coloration in tanagers.
During these various jobs and responsibilities, the common thread has been Patty’s focus on penguins. Patty served as the first coordinator for the Humboldt Penguin Species Survival Program; during her 20+ year tenure she facilitated improving the care, breeding success and longevity of the penguins which helped increase their population in zoos & aquariums. Her work with the captive population led her to meet colleagues working with penguins in the wild and she has visited the entire distribution of the Humboldt penguin in Chile and Peru; she has led the annual census in Peru since 2000. In 2017 she assumed the role of Program Leader for the SAFE African Penguin Program and coordinates the conservation engagement by zoos and aquariums—and others—in saving this critically endangered penguin from extinction. In addition to her work for zoos, Dr. McGill also serves on the Conservation Committee of the American Ornithological Society. Dr. McGill earned her Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1985.
Patty enjoys watching birds at many U.S. and international locations, hiking, and hanging out with her husband and dogs.