Name: The great penguin rescue
Uploaded: 2011-08-09T15:15:38Z
Duration: 11 min 26 s
Description: The world's largest volunteer animal rescue, saved more than 40,000 penguins after an oil spill off the coast of South Africa. Dyan deNapoli tells the triumphant story. How does a job this big get done? Penguin by penguin by penguin ...

I neglected to say the name of the 17-year-old student who invented the degreaser used on the penguins. It was Louis Kock.


I unfortunately omitted a very important statement here. After saying, "Well, you should care because they're an indicator species," I meant to add, "and 15 of the 18 penguin species on Earth are currently listed as threatened or endangered."

I meant to say "oceanographer" before Sylvia Earle's name. (There may have been some confusion here, due to the fact that the German biologist's first name is also Sylvia.)

The world's largest volunteer animal rescue, saved more than 40,000 penguins after an oil spill off the coast of South Africa. Dyan deNapoli tells the triumphant story. How does a job this big get done? Penguin by penguin by penguin ...

Dyan deNapoli: The great penguin rescue

The great penguin rescue

A 17-year-old's invention of a degreaser became a pivotal tool in the world's largest penguin rescue, showcasing youth innovation.

Over 90% of oiled penguins were saved and returned to the wild post-spill, debunking the notion that oiled birds should be euthanized.

Penguins, indicators of ocean health, face extinction within a decade if overfishing and global warming are not addressed.