'Mr. Greedy,' a prolific penguin dad, has died at age 33

An African penguin named “Mr. Greedy” died at Baltimore's Maryland Zoo last week at the age of 33, surpassing his species’ median life expectancy of 18 years.

His secret to longevity? Fathering lots of penguins, apparently. 

Mr. Greedy helped rebuild the penguin population at zoos across North America, zoo officials said. Doing his part to promote the survival of his endangered species, he leaves behind 230 descendants and five generations of offspring as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums African Penguin Species Survival Plan.

Mr. Greedy was euthanized following an age-related decline in his health, the zoo said in a Thursday news release.

Jen Kottyan, the zoo’s bird curator and leader of the survival program, said in a statement: “It’s tough to lose an animal who has been such a welcome presence at our Zoo for three decades.”

But she and her colleagues are proud of the bird’s fertile legacy.

“This one bird was incredibly important to the continued existence of African penguins throughout the world,” Kottyan said.

Mr. Greedy also leaves behind his lifelong mate, Mrs. Greedy. Both birds hatched in 1991 and arrived at the zoo the following year. The pair have been together since 1994, when they hit reproductive age, Kottyan said. She’s now the zoo’s oldest penguin.

Mr. Greedy earned his name due to his stealing habit. He frequently stole nesting materials and food from others, Kottyan told The New York Times. Mrs. Greedy, who partook in her partner’s theft operations, also lives up to her nickname.

In the wake of her partner’s loss, zookeepers are monitoring Mrs. Greedy's heath.

“Her behavior will determine what happens next," the zoo's release read. "If she shows interest, the Zoo will pair her with a single male in the colony as a companion."

Last month, Sphen, one-half of a famous same-sex penguin couple, died at an aquarium in Sydney. Aquarium staff said they took his partner Magic to see Sphen's body to give him a chance to mourn and improve the likelihood that he would be able to move on.

Among the Greedy pair’s offspring is Olive, a fifth-generation descendant who helps educate Maryland Zoo visitors about the animals and the threats they face in the wild, according to officials. The zoo is home to the continent's largest African penguin colony.
 
The wild population of African penguins, which are native to South Africa and Namibia, has declined 75% over the past 20 years, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, mostly due to their scarce food supply. The species' numbers, once in the millions, have dropped because of overfishing, human disturbance of nesting grounds, pollution and climate change.