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WATERTOWN, S.D. (AP) — Four black-footed penguins from the Bramble Park Zoo in Watertown have new homes.
The Watertown Public Opinion reports the penguins had to be transferred to other facilities because the zoo's environment is not conducive to housing penguins.
Director Dan Miller says the zoo is part of the species survival program, but hasn't had "good success" with penguins. Miller says the zoo has seen "an unacceptable number of bird deaths," most of which have been from a fungal infection known as aspergillosis.
Eighteen penguins died at the zoo in the past 13 years. Eleven of those penguins died from the fungal infection.
The facility doesn't have a permanent indoor area for the birds and Miller says most deaths have happened in summer.
The penguins' new homes are in Minneapolis and Baltimore.
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Information from: Watertown Public Opinion, http://www.thepublicopinion.com
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