OUR MISSION

To ensure the sustainable release of aquatic penguins to the estuarine and fluvial environments of Metro Manila providing much needed bio-mass to this critically challenged ecosystem. 

BACKGROUND

Some 10,000 years ago, just after the last ice age, vast numbers of Spheniscidae (common penguin) habituated the estuaries around Metro Manila.  In a few short millennia, these species have not been seen since. 

In 1995 a group of environmentalists, ecologists and palaeontologists met in the Manila Hotel to discuss re-introduction of the species Spheniscidae (common penguin) to the Pasig River in Metro Manila Philippines.  Following this auspicious meeting, funding was raised culminating in the first release in April 1997 of 27 penguins.  From small beginnings, this group of scientists, including but not limited to local fisherfolk and resource based professionals, the Pasig Penguins were formed.

Program Pasig Penguin 1997
In April 1997, the inaugural release of 27 Spheniscidae was conducted at the banks of the Pasig, close to the current powerhouse mall near Rockwell. Unfortunately, the zinc alloy used on the tags of the penguins reacted violently with the Pasigs river water resulting in 100% mortality of the original release. The moral of the original release team was severely tested and the Program Pasig penquin almost ended before it had begun. However the team regrouped a year later with alternate metallic tags.

Program Pasig Penguin 1998
In late March 1998, a new team led by renowned shipping and drilling magnate (name withheld for security reasons) released a significantly smaller number of juvenile penquins (12) with unreactive lead tags. Unfortunately the small size of these birds caused all but two to sink to the bottom of the Pasig and only two could be rescued, but were tragically run over when their container fell off the back of the rescue utility on Edsa ring road. The program had some success in that the new tags were not observed reacting with the river water.

Program Pasig Penguin 1999-2001
The release program was disrupted during the Asian Economic Crises due to lack of funding to breed the penguins. The group did meet frequently and this long planning period was not wasted when the 2002 program commenced.

Program Pasig Penguin 2002
Following over three years hiatus in the release program, 2002 saw the most ambitious release program ever with 56 penguins released. New lightweight plastic tags had been developed and the penquins enjoyed over half an hour of playful interplay before a rival environmental program's skimmer boat designed to rid the Pasig of algae bloom unfortunately attracted all but 1 of the released penguins in a tragic accident that blocked the fine aluminium mesh of the skimmer boat rending it in-operative for 6 months. This was satisfactorily resolved in the Makati Regional Courts but did severely deplete funds for the 2003 release program.

Program Pasig Penguin 2003
2003 was the first year that a scientist with actual wildlife training joined the team. Prior to that the team consisted nearly entirely of engineers geologists and accountants. Almost immediately the new team member pointed out that we had not really collected much data in terms of survivability of the penguins in the 3 release programs as nearly all had expired within 27minutes of release. Obviously a program of toxic tolerance was devised where the combination of depleted funds and new technology resulted in a modest release of 6 penguins tagged with GPS and radio transmitters. The success was immediate, with all 6 tracked as a cluster all the way out of the pasig into Manila Bay before the signal was lost. This was the most conclusive evidence to date that the penguins could survive in the Pasig, although pundits did claim that the data suggested the speed of migration of the pod was almost exactly the same speed as the river flow, and that the radio transmitters should have been able to be received for 100’s of km’s unless they sank or dissolved. The group dismissed this negativity as sour grapes and planned the largest release for 2004.

Program Pasig Penguin 2004
By now the release program was been actively discussed in environmental forums around the world. In 2004 the group was blessed with renowned environmentalists Sir David Attenbough when he made a visit to Mania. Sir David, when asked to comment on the program said “faced with the incredible mortality rate:...” I can only “...”[congratulate the] tenacity and shear bloody mindedness”... “[of the] Pasig Penguins”.
Funding for the group was now significantly easier, and hundreds of people now came to witness the annual release program. This year, a contingent of 247 penguins were released, but unfortunately the chase boats were being sprayed with high pressure water jets being mistaken for protestors and the shore release group were detained by for questioning by Philippine Police. By the time the group made it back to the Pasig, no penguins were documented so it was assumed all had survived making not only 2004 but the entire program statistically a hugh success

Program Pasig Penguin 2005-2006
As the successful 2004 program had brought the total released to 348 and total survived at 254 the success rate was a very credible 72% which rivalled many other programs worldwide. Unfortunately this brought some bitter infighting whether to continue the program or just publish the results in Natural Science. This infighting wasn’t resolved until paradoxically an injunction with the Makati Regional Court was dropped in 2006.

Program Pasig Penguin 2007
Following procedural modifications resulting from the 2004 release, the group now rents a scientific establishment located along the forefront of the Pasig River(location withheld for security reasons) where a subsurface release pipe can discharge the penguins away from the prying eyes of the general public (and officials). The release is slower as there are frequent blockages that need cleaning with industrial pipe cleaning rotary probes, however the success rate remains high at 12%. The penguins swim undetected to the mouth of the river and have not been seen since, prompting our behavioural scientist to suggest the dark narrow release of a pipe has a positive re-enforced behaviour mechanism best suited to this relatively congested and toxic environment of the Pasig River.

Program Pasig Penguin 2008
The upstairs floors of our secret location along the Pasig was unbeknownst to ourselves rented by a notorious drug cartel that was under surveillance by Philippine authorities. When our members smuggled in 15 penguins in hessian sacks ready for release, authorities moved in. The innocent actions of stuffing penguins down a release pipe was mistaken as trying to destroy evidence. During the ensuing gun fight, 14 penguins were shot. The one penguin in the tube is missing assumed release adding to our global release numbers.

Upcoming Programs
These release programs are becoming increasingly expensive. Particularly the legal bills. The World Wide Penguins undertake a number of fundraising activities principally at sporting events around asia where scutinary of the scientific basis of the program is lowest. Please send any donations to the address below if you too want to change a tiny bit of the Mania Eco system.