Reproduction in Rockhopper Penguins

Project Penguin at the Indianapolis Zoo!
Rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes crestatus) are involved in a research initiative entitled Project Penguin.  Project Penguin was developed in 2001 because for many years, our rockhopper penguin colony laid 12-15 eggs each season and only produced 1-2 chicks.  With this in mind, we soon realized that our current population is not self-sustaining and birds are quite difficult to obtain. 

The staff investigated the situation and determined that we needed to evaluate the sperm quality. Through behavioral, physiological and reproductive research, several males were conditioned for milking.  Since this had never been done with rockhopper penguins, training started with learning how to collect semen on chickens at Purdue University.  We then took those techniques and developed our penguin training protocols.  With each breeding season, we are getting closer in establishing baseline data for sperm quality. Due to our aging population, we are also uncovering at what age sperm production decreases.
PHOTO:  Keepers in the process of milking sperm from a male rockhopper penguin.