Green Bean teaches Valley kids how to save her

CANFIELD

Penguin At The Library

Video

An African Penguin made visit to the Youngstown Public Library.

A locally beloved species of flightless bird stopped in the Mahoning Valley for the enjoyment and education of area youths.

Green Bean, an African penguin, made her debut Friday at the Youngstown and Canfield libraries. The Wave Foundation from Newport Aquarium in Newport, Ky., brings aquatic life to libraries across the state for informational presentations.

Children who attended learned about the African penguin’s habitat, natural predators and physical attributes.

Rooms full of children lined up to touch Green Bean’s water-resistant coat of feathers.

“I love educating people with what I’m passionate about,” said Wave volunteer Savannah Weber. “Getting to share a penguin with kids who have never seen one and might not have the resources to go to a zoo or aquarium is great. And it’s necessary for people to realize how important conserving our environment is.”

A focus of the presentation was on the penguin’s endangered-species status.

The African penguin is native to South Africa. Its beach habitats are threatened by local vacationers, fishing and agricultural industries.

Read how we're affecting its life in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.