Made in New York

Photograph: Dave Sanders

WISH
To feed the penguins

Wisher Julia Delehanty, 19; college student

In addition to housing various other winged South American species, the Bronx Zoo’s aquatic-birds section is a haven for eight Magellanic penguins—five male, three female. Every morning at around 8:30am, a zookeeper slaps on some rubber waders and sloshes out to the edge of the penguins’ little island with a bucket of fish. Usually, she goes it alone. But this morning, senior wild-animal keeper Nancy Gonzalez has civilian company. “I’m nervous because they told me that the penguins might be afraid and not eat from my hand,” says Julia Delehanty, whose longtime dream of feeding the critters at her beloved Bronx Zoo appears imperiled. Crikey! The gentle birds’ interest is piqued as soon as the humans enter the enclosure. Hesitantly, they approach—and then suddenly dive into the surrounding pool. Like the sharks that would eat them in the wild as if they were squishy popcorn, the penguins swim in a circle around Nancy and Julia, occasionally popping up to snatch a proffered fish (today’s menu features capelin and spearing). Fears of a penguin hunger strike are clearly unfounded.

Not all of the gang initially partakes in the feast, though. Charlotte, a wary female identifiable by a small pink band on her wing, isn’t quite sold on the strange feeder’s credibility. Cautiously approaching on foot, she retreats several times before finally agreeing to take a fish from Julia’s hand. You can almost hear the collective “Aww” echoing through the minds of the handful of rapt observers. Julia later says, “Charlotte was my favorite, because she was the most hesitant to come near and let me feed her. I was so excited that I finally won her over.”

Julia tries to lure some of the other recalcitrant eaters by calling to them with kissing noises as if they were dogs and waving the fish out in front of her. At first, none seem too eager to approach, but once one or two intrepid souls venture closer, the rest follow.

Was it all Julia had wished it would be? “I didn’t love holding the slimy fish,” she admits. “But it was a thrill to be so close to such adorable, interesting creatures. I kind of wanted to steal one and keep it in my bathtub.” —Drew Toal

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DREAM ON
You also wished to…

…sleep over in Gracie Mansion.

…record my own album. For free.

…get a round-trip plane ticket to and hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa; Fiji; Florence, Italy; Mykonos; Kampala, Uganda; Madrid; or Honolulu .