SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium welcomes three Gentoo penguin chicks!

The little ones arrived late last year and have been settling in nicely at the Antarctic Ice Adventure display.

The announcement comes on the 38^th anniversary of the opening of our iconic Auckland aquarium founded by globally renowned adventurer Kelly Tarlton.

The first chick hatched on the 27^th of October 2022, weighing 92 grams to proud first-time parents Xena and Dobby, and is a gentle giant who’s long overtaken them in size and weight and loves playing under the saltwater sprinkler!

The second chick hatched just three days later, weighing 89 grams, to Lady and Tux, both experienced parents who have only recently sparked romance together, partnering up for the first time this season.

The third chick is nearly two weeks younger, hatching on the 19^th of November, to seasoned parents Melody and Oscar, weighing 97 grams. This chick enjoys sidling up to keepers during feeding times and is beginning to develop their trademark Gentoo “bonnet”, while still sporting a very fluffy down-feathery coat.

“As the chicks continue to grow, learn and explore, we’re loving seeing their personalities continue to shine through! Once they have fully fledged, accomplished swimming lessons with their parents, made friends and developed their grown-up feathers, we will be able to learn their genders and give them some fitting names!” – Kiara Martina Lehnert- Penguin Keeper

Our Gentoo penguins reside in our Antarctic Ice Adventure alongside our colony of Sub-Antarctic King penguins. Together they are ambassadors for their species, helping raise awareness of the threats facing their relatives in the wild. The display is kept at an icy temperature of -2° to 0° Celsius all year round to mimic the bird’s icy homeland of the sub- Antarctic islands and peninsulas where they are under threat from overfishing, invasive species, and climate change.