TAMPA, FLA. (WSVN) - Seven African penguins have died at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa.
“It is with heavy hearts that The Florida Aquarium announces the passing of seven of our African penguins. At this time the cause of death is unknown and under examination,” keepers said in a statement obtained by Fox 13.
The organization said initial necropsy results were inconclusive, but the aquarium’s veterinary team is doing further investigation and conducting additional tests to find out a cause of death.
The aquarium said their remaining penguins are getting around-the-clock care and observation, and the staff is “cautiously optimistic.”
“It’s never easy to communicate the loss of a species ambassador especially one as iconic as our African penguins,” the facility said. “The Florida Aquarium will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to understand this tragic course of events. Unfortunately, we may never know the cause of death.”
The incident comes several weeks after 12 stingrays died in a tank at Zoo Tampa. According to Fox 13, the zoo determined that a technical issue led to the stingrays’ deaths.
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