New home for the holidays: Birch Aquarium takes in five new penguins
SAN DIEGO — San Diegans visiting the Birch Aquarium can now enjoy some new additions. The aquarium took in some of the world’s smallest penguins this week from the other side of the country.
Ahead of the holidays, the Birch Aquarium took in five new Little Blue Penguins, which made their debut Wednesday.
Penguins Nugget and Meatloaf arrived from Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. The other three penguins, who are not named yet, came from the Adventure Aquarium in New Jersey, the Birch Aquarium announced.
Birch Aquarium is the only place on the West Coast where you can find Little Blue Penguins; they are native to the coastal dunes and rocky shores of Southern Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand.
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The penguins moved to their new home in Southern California to be part of a breeding program, as their numbers have declined in recent years from climate change and human development, according to the aquarium.
“These new penguins are such an important addition to Birch Aquarium, especially the females!” said Kayla Strate, Birch Aquarium’s Assistant Curator of Birds. “This move is part of a collaborative breeding program to increase genetic diversity and ensure overall colony health within accredited zoos and aquariums. The aquarium hopes these matchmaking efforts will bring a new generation of little blues in the future.”
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You can identify the new arrivals by their wing bands, the aquarium noted. Nugget has pink/white bands, and Meatloaf has purple/red bands. The other three unnamed penguins have yellow/blue, yellow/yellow and purple/blue bands.
“Cooperative breeding programs are so important because, should wild populations ever come under imminent threat, we have the knowledge and tools to step in and make a difference,” continued Strate.
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The penguins can be found at the “Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins” habitat. You can take part in daily feedings and informative penguin talks. Or catch the live penguin cam on the Birch Aquarium’s website so you can watch them at any time.
The Children’s Discovery Portal offers up-close penguin viewing and an interactive research station where you can learn more about the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
In addition to penguins, there are many other sea animals to discover at the Birch Aquarium — coral, giant Pacific octopus, leopard sharks, loggerhead sea turtle, seahorses and weedy seadragons.
Also, don’t miss the new “Hold Fast” immersive art installation exploring local kelp forests and climate change, opening Feb. 8, 2024.
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