Tuesday, January 12, 2016

The Political Correctness of Penguins

The New York Zoo has a guide to the penguins they have on exhibit somewhere (I think every one of these species is in the Penguarium the Central Park Zoo).  But it is funny, because - since I was in school - the names have changed for a couple of species.
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In the olden days you'd be taught that the name of the penguins in Australian as the Fairy Penguin or the Blue Fairy Penguin - because it was the smallest of the current penguins.  Now it is dully title "Little Penguin".
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And the "African Black-Footed Penguin" is a lousy name.  They make a braying sound like a donkey and they were, therefore, called Jack-Ass Penguins.  As for their new name - is there an "African Penguin" with any other colored foot?  Hint: no.