Birch Aquarium is saddened to announce that a Little Blue Penguin, Magic, has died. Magic had been battling aspergillosis, a fungal infection, for several weeks, and though the Husbandry and Veterinary Teams worked around the clock to provide him with the best care, he was not able to fight off the infection.
Aspergillus is a common airborne fungus that is ubiquitous in the air that we breathe. Birds, like the Little Blue Penguin, are uniquely susceptible to aspergillosis due to their specialized respiratory systems. Sometimes birds may have a challenged immune system due to underlying health causes, or simply associated with breeding, changes in weather, their habitat, etc. Fungus infections are challenging to treat.
Magic, who was 6 years old, came to Birch Aquarium in October of 2020 from Dallas World Aquarium. He quickly became a favorite among our guests, as well as our staff for his fun and loving personality. He was a wonderful ambassador for his species, having awed and delighted thousands of guests. He will be missed.
