San Francisco Zookeepers Perplexed By Endless Circle-Swimming Penguins

AP ^ | January 16, 2003

[Semaphore Heathcliffe]

I thought that animals in zoos going in circles was a sign that they had gone crazy from being enclosed in tight spaces and without much stimulation.

Might explain behavior seen in cube-farm offices from time to time.

[Timesink]

Before you laugh, I'm quite serious about the following hypothesis: One or more of the Ohio penguins has severe OCD. Many animal actions that we consider "instinct" are actually mild forms of OCD; their brains simply tell them to "do X" over and over. Normally, this is not a problem, as their brains only tell them to "do X" as often as is necessary. But just as some humans with OCD end up doing things like washing their hands constantly because their wiring telling them to "keep clean" is a bit off compared to the "keep clean" wiring in the rest of us, sometimes the "do X" wiring in a given animal can be set on overload.

I'll bet anything that if they simply start giving the Ohio penguins daily doses of Paxil (titated to proper penguin-dosage levels, of course), the behavior will stop within a couple of weeks. I also bet there's only one Alpha Penguin that's actually got the problem, and once they figure out who he/she is, they can stop the Paxil on all the other penguins.

There have been plenty of studies on how anti-OCD drugs stop strange/annoying repetitive actions in animals and pets (dogs that simply won't EVER stop chasing their tails, cats that groom themselves to the point they lick bald patches on their skin, etc).

[Diddle E. Squat]

No, there was a black congressman from New York, one of his names was Major.

[tubebender]

Sounds like 6 disrupters left FR for the real zoo.

[william clark]

Maybe they were imported from the Istanbul zoo.

[From The Deer Stand]

It's simple. The six from Ohio were all Democrats. Now they've got the whole bunch going around in circles!

[eno_]

Eric Hall would know what to do.

[ArrogantBustard]

`What I was going to say,' said the Dodo in an offended tone, `was, that the best thing to get us dry would be a Caucus-race.'

`What is a Caucus-race?' said Alice; not that she wanted much to know, but the Dodo had paused as if it thought that somebody ought to speak, and no one else seemed inclined to say anything.

`Why,' said the Dodo, `the best way to explain it is to do it.' (And, as you might like to try the thing yourself, some winter day, I will tell you how the Dodo managed it.)

First it marked out a race-course, in a sort of circle, (`the exact shape doesn't matter,' it said,) and then all the party were placed along the course, here and there. There was no `One, two, three, and away,' but they began running when they liked, and left off when they liked, so that it was not easy to know when the race was over. However, when they had been running half an hour or so, and were quite dry again, the Dodo suddenly called out `The race is over!' and they all crowded round it, panting, and asking, `But who has won?'

This question the Dodo could not answer without a great deal of thought, and it sat for a long time with one finger pressed upon its forehead (the position in which you usually see Shakespeare, in the pictures of him), while the rest waited in silence. At last the Dodo said, `Everybody has won, and all must have prizes.'

[Timesink]

(titated = titrated, of course. Damn typos.)

[Egregious Philbin]

I thought that animals in zoos going in circles was a sign that they had gone crazy from being enclosed in tight spaces and without much stimulation.

Might explain behavior seen in cube-farm offices from time to time.

Indeed. But not us - we're posting on FR!

[TroutStalker]

Major Owens, I believe. He claimed more were thrown overboard than were ever enslaved.

[VermiciousKnid]

LOLOL...I'm sorry; these penguins are probably all as crazy at outhouse rats, but...a protest against formal wear? LOL

Regards,

[APBaer]

Quack!! Quack!! All your zoo belong to me!!

[eastsider]

Repetitive behavior is a big problem with polar bears, too.

[Robe]

Jeeeze folks.....they're just migrating

[Thinkin' Gal]

I also bet there's only one Alpha Penguin that's actually got the problem, and once they figure out who he/she is, they can stop the Paxil on all the other penguins. fire up the barbie and slather on the marinade.

[Hatteras]

"...one of his names was Major."

That would be Major Owens

[Wolfie]

I thought that animals in zoos going in circles was a sign that they had gone crazy from being enclosed in tight spaces and without much stimulation.

Well, duh! Seems pretty obvious, don't it? But, of course, I wouldn't expect the friggin' zookeeper to come that conclusion, seein' as how he has to earn a paycheck, and all.

[blackdog]

Not that I know penguins, but in sheep this is a common disease. Not that they swim in water though! Listerosis, or whirling disease causes the brain to malfunction and they walk around agitated and in circles all day. It also can occur from scrapie, one of those CWD, abnormal prion problems.

If mammals eat, birds too, a big dose of listeria loaded food(like some fish), I would suppose the same could occur.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Thanks, that was the one.