Adventure Aquarium Welcomes Little Blue Penguin Chick

CAMDEN, N.J. (February 24, 2023) – BABY ALERT!!! Adventure Aquarium’s little blue penguin parents Sheila (#8) and Spud (#3), are proud to announce the birth of a healthy baby boy, who hatched on February 15, weighing in at 37 grams.

Since his hatch date, the littlest member of the little blue colony has spent his time on exhibit, settling in and learning the ropes from his parents. At about three weeks old, the chick will be taken off exhibit and behind the scenes to learn how to take fish from the biologists and grow his water-proofed adult plumage for swimming. The new chick has yet to get his official moniker, but penguin lovers can stay tuned for a name reveal in the coming weeks!

“We are beyond excited to welcome yet another chick to our little blue penguin colony,” said Adventure Aquarium Executive Director, Molly Deese. “Our animal husbandry team is so dedicated to caring for our collection of birds, and successful breeding seasons, as we’ve seen over the past several years, are a direct testament to the hard work that goes into caring for our animals.”

This is the first season that parents Sheila and Spud have come together as a breeding pair. Many people think that all penguins “mate for life,” but little blues are one of the few species of penguin that are not monogamous.

During the 2022 breeding season, Sheila paired with fellow colony member Phillip (#5), which resulted in the successful hatching of the chick’s older sister Adelaide (#19), who celebrated her first hatch day just last week. The new chick is also joined on exhibit by his half-sisters Elanora (#9), Aroha (#13), and Phoenix (#17) – all brooded by Sheila.

In lieu of gifts and flowers celebrating the birth of their new baby boy, Sheila and Spud are encouraging guests to show their support by voting for Adventure Aquarium in USA Today’s 10Best Aquariums contest.