What better time to think about the birds and bees—literally—than National Pollinator Week? From June 17-23, the California Academy of Sciences, Conservatory of Flowers and San Francisco Botanical Garden have planned a series of events for families and adults to highlight the important birds, bees, butterflies, and other creatures that help plants reproduce.

Here at the Academy, don’t miss:
Pollinator Power
Monday, Wednesday and Friday, June 17, 19, and 21 at 1:30 pm
Join us atop the Academy’s living roof to explore the fascinating lives of pollinators including birds, bats and bees. As these animals buzz, swoop and fly through the air, they are helping to keep California one of the most diverse places on earth. At the Academy, researchers and gardeners work to maintain a living roof of entirely native plants—come find out how this helps keep habitats healthy! Free with Academy admission.

Birds & Bees NightLife (ages 21+)
Thursday, June 20, 2013 from 6 to 10 pm
Music by DJ Eric Sharp
In the mood for some cross-pollination? In honor of National Pollinator Week, learn about the all-important birds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators that allow plants to reproduce from the experts at the California Academy of Sciences, Conservatory of Flowers, and San Francisco Botanical Gardens. Plus, explore the science of hooking up with the Bold Italic, dating site Swoon, Planned Parenthood, and other local enterprises who help make “people pollination” possible. Tickets are $12 ($10 for Academy members). Ages 21+ only.

Chat with an Academy Scientist: Botanist Tom Daniel
Saturday, June 22 at 2 pm
Meet Academy Curator of Botany Tom Daniel who will share intriguing tales of how plants use the power of attraction on animals. From the tops of mountains to the bottom of the oceans, and in high-tech laboratories at the Academy, the explorers featured in Chat with an Academy Scientist see the world, discover new life and help explain Earth’s amazing story. Join them for a glimpse at their fascinating work, and hear their exciting stories first-hand. Free with Academy admission.

Discovery Nature Walk
Saturday and Sunday, June 22-23 at 2:30 pm
Join us for a 30-minute nature walk, exploring gardens and groves that surround the Academy. Learn about the importance of native plants and trees and how they support animals and pollinators in Golden Gate Park, a unique and unusual ecosystem. Free with Academy admission.

Elsewhere in Golden Gate Park:
On June 22, check out What’s the Buzz? at the Conservatory of Flowers and a Honey Tasting & Pollinators Tour at the San Francisco Botanical Garden.

Welcome, Linus! And congratulations to Corey Morgan from Fairfield who suggested the name for the Academy’s newest penguin chick in honor of Carolus Linnæus, the taxonomist who originally described the African Penguin species in 1758.

After a behind-the-scenes experience in the aquarium’s food preparation area, Corey and her daughter attended a ceremony at which Linus’ name was unveiled in front of the penguin tank. As a memento, she received a piece of one-of-a-kind artwork painted by Linus himself.

You’ll recognize Linus in the exhibit or via the penguin cams by his grey plumage (in place until he is about a year old) or by the white band with a red stripe on his right wing.

Thank you to all 2,267 people who submitted their name suggestions!

Update on May 3: We’ve selected the following three finalist penguin chick names submitted from the public based on originality and connection to the Academy’s mission:

• Alto – In honor of Althea Westphal, the dedicated founder of SANCCOB, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and conservation of threatened seabirds, like African penguins, in the wild. Submitted by Noemie H. from Berkeley.
• Amanzi – Amanzi means “water” in Zulu, a widely spoken language in southern Africa, the African penguin’s natural coastal habitat. Submitted by Audrey A. from Petaluma.
• Linus – In honor of Carolus Linnaeus, the taxonomist who originally described the African penguin species in 1758. Submitted by Corey M. from Fairfield.

 
Vote for your favorite name by May 10 – the name with the most votes will be the winner!

Join us to find out our new penguin chick’s name at a Naming Ceremony on May 16 at 10:00 am in African Hall.

Original post:
Today, biologists introduced a male penguin chick to the African penguin exhibit. Hatched on January 28, 2013, the chick is just over two months old and, until today, has been living with his parents in a private nest off of public view to give the family a chance to bond. Now that he’s on display, he needs a name! From now until April 30, submit your ideas to our Name the Penguin Chick Contest.

The Academy has a long and successful history of breeding African penguins as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP) for this endangered species, but this chick marks the first hatched at the new Academy building, which opened in late 2008. African penguins were classified as an endangered species in 2010 and are at very high risk of extinction in the wild. The SSP’s aim is to maintain the genetic diversity of captive populations through controlled breeding and collaborative exchange of offspring among partner zoos and aquariums.

The chick’s parents, Robben (father) and Ty (mother), are a recommended breeding pair due to their genetically valuable gene pools. Like all new parents, the pair has kept close watch over their new arrival, taking turns caring for the bird, as biologists monitored his progress carefully. On average, it takes one year for African penguins to lose their juvenile plumage and develop their tuxedo-like appearance. So for the foreseeable future, you can recognize him in the exhibit or on the penguin cams by his grey and white coloration.

At the conclusion of the penguin naming contest, Academy staff will select the top three names based on originality and connection to the Academy’s mission to explore, explain and sustain life, including the African Penguin SSP program. The final three names will be put out to public vote, and the winning name will be announced during a naming ceremony in May.

One of the world’s most beautiful—and little-known—species of octopus is now on public display for the first time, right here at the Academy. Aquarium biologist Richard Ross has spent the last 13 months raising and studying the behavior of the species, which was initially discovered in 1991 but largely forgotten until now. He and Dr. Roy Caldwell of the University of California, Berkeley are still working on a formal description of the species, which doesn’t yet have a scientific name, but they didn’t want to wait any longer to share this spectacular animal known for its unusual mating habits and dramatic coloration with the public.

When it comes to mating and reproduction, the Larger Pacific Striped Octopus defies conventional octopus behavior in several surprising ways. Because female octopuses have a tendency to eat their mates, the animals usually live solitary lives—and when they do come together to mate, they typically try to stay as far away as possible from their mate’s mouth. However, pairs of Larger Pacific Striped Octopuses can live peacefully together in an aquarium, at times sharing a den, and they mate in an intimate beak-to-beak, or sucker-to-sucker, position. Additionally, unlike other octopus species in which the females tend to die after laying a clutch of eggs, these females can lay many clutches of eggs over the course of their lives.

This behavior has earned the animals a spot in our Animal Attraction aquarium gallery, where a female has already taken up residence, soon to be joined by a male. The display also includes an iPad exhibit label featuring video footage of their mating behavior, but lucky visitors may even witness the act first-hand. Ross plans to raise and study the paralarvae they produce to learn more about the animal’s life cycle and develop captive breeding protocols for the species, which is currently known from only a few locations off the coast of Nicaragua.