2 new African penguins can now be seen at New England Aquarium in Boston
BOSTON -- Two new African penguins have joined the rest of the penguin colony at the New England Aquarium in Boston following months of care behind the scenes.
The chicks hatched in March and are finally ready to be seen at the exhibit.
The aquarium partners with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) SAFE African Penguin program, an international effort to protect and restore wild African penguin populations.
Eric Fox, assistant curator of penguins, said the dedication of their Animal Care Team is part of a "much greater mission" to help support the endangered species.
"Knowing that African penguins could go extinct as soon as 2035, these chicks are a reminder that we are taking direct action toward the conservation of their species," he said in a statement.
Endangered species
The species are found on the coasts of South Africa and Namibia, threatened by food depletion from overfishing, climate change and pollution.
To help promote a sustainable future for these penguins, the Aquarium participates in the AZA's African Penguin Species Survival Plan.
"Our trainers will continue to work on building relationships with the chicks as part of our focus on animal wellbeing and husbandry," Fox said in a statement. "A key aspect of that work entails training the birds to be more comfortable with handling so that things like routine medical exams are a more positive experience."
The oldest chick, a male named "Bunker," hatched at the Aquarium on March 21, 2024. His sister, "Althea," followed on March 27 -- both chicks have been thriving and now weigh about 40 times their hatch weight.
Their names have an educational and conservation tie to Africa: "Bunker" comes from ship-to-ship bunkering along the southern coast of Africa, and "Althea" is named after Althea Westphal, founder of a rescue and rehabilitation organization for African penguins and other seabirds.
Bunker and Althea are two of four chicks that hatched at the Aquarium this year. The others hatched in April and will be ready to join the colony sometime in July.
Penguin training
As part of the acclimation process, trainers worked on socialization by slowly introducing the chicks to adult birds. Once their waterproof feathers came in, the chicks learned to swim by starting with a kiddie pool behind the scenes and working their way up to larger tubs and eventually trial swims inside the penguin exhibit.
The Aquarium's curator of pinnipeds and penguins, Kristen McMahon, said their penguin trainers have the "unique opportunity" to care for the birds at different stages of their lives.
"At the New England Aquarium, our first priority is the welfare and wellbeing of all of our animals," McMahon said in a statement. "Participating in the SAFE African Penguin program and breeding season are key goals in providing top notch care for our penguin colony."
Click here to plan your next visit to the Aquarium's penguin colony to see their newest furry friends.
