(WWJ) - March Madness is almost here and while basketball fans are gearing up for the national tournament, penguins from around the world are getting ready to compete in their own version of the "Big Dance" -- including five from Michigan.
Penguins International’s annual "March of the Penguin Madness" officially kicks off Sunday, March 17, with forty-eight penguins representing ten species in the running to win the 2024 Penguin Champion, officials said.
Hundreds of penguins were nominated from zookeepers and aquarists around the world, but the list was narrowed down to just under 50 with finalists from the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak and the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids.
The goal of the tournament is to help raise money to fund conservation efforts worldwide.
“We want to highlight penguins in zoos and aquariums that serve as ambassadors to their species,” Katie Propp, the Chief Operations Officer at Penguins International, said in a press release. “Around 9 out of the 18 penguin species are threatened with extinction, and penguin ambassadors at zoos and aquariums inspire guests to want to save their wild counterparts.”
The Detroit Zoo stated all the animals are "great contenders deserving of the crown" and congratulated their four penguins on making the cut.
The John Ball Zoo confirmed one of their penguins is also in the running.
The contestants from Michigan are:
Maximilian, King Penguin, age 1, from the Detroit Zoo
Jay, Macaroni Penguin, age 16, from the Detroit Zoo
Opal, Southern Rockhopper Penguin, age 8 months, from the Detroit Zoo
Freckles, Southern Rockhopper Penguin, age 16, from the Detroit Zoo
Chester, Magellanic Penguin, age 33, from the John Ball Zoo
The public will be able to vote for their favorite penguin utilizing Penguin International’s website (https://www.penguinsinternational.org) as well as on social media.
The polls will open on Sunday for a 48-hour voting period to allow people around the world to cast their ballot. The rest of the voting timeline is as follows:
March 24-26: Second round
March 31-April 2: Third round - Emperor Eight
April 7-9: Fourth round - Flipper Four
April 14-16: Last round - Peng Win Championship
April 19: Winner announced
"Penguins that make it through each round continue on until only one penguin is crowned the 'Peng Win Champion,' as well as bragging rights for their institution," organizers said.
Penguins International is a 501c3 non-profit organization based in Denver, Colorado and was founded in 2017. According to their website, the organization actively engages in penguin conservation projects to "advance knowledge and understanding of penguins through scientific research, and to promote awareness of threats to penguins through conservation education programs."