Three Little Blue Penguin Chicks Born At Adventure Aquarium

Baby penguin boom delights staff and guests alike, highlighting the Aquarium’s strong conservation and  animal care efforts 

CAMDEN, N.J. (February 26, 2026) – Adventure Aquarium is celebrating the arrival of three Little Blue  Penguin chicks, growing the Aquarium’s thriving colony of the species. The chicks hatched the first week  of February, with the first (male) arriving on February 2, the second (female) arriving on February 3 and  the third (male) arriving on February 5. 

The first chick is the sixth offspring of experienced parents Sheila and Spud, who are also the parents of  Tater Tot (2023), Kiwi (2024) and Saquon (2025), and Sheila’s tenth chick. The two younger chicks were born to Maremma and Bloke, marking their fourth and fifth chicks together and their first-ever set of  clutch mates. The pair are also parents to Lovie (2024) and Griffin (2021). 

“Sheila and Spud are successful, proven parents and are once again doing a wonderful job with their  chick, nicely allowing the biologists in the nest each morning to check on the chick’s growth,” said Jamie  Becker, biologist on the Aquarium’s Birds and Mammals team. “Maremma and Bloke have been doing a  great job taking care of two chicks and are very protective parents.” 

The three chicks join the 19 members of the Little Blue Penguin colony at Adventure Aquarium, whose  home is known as “Little Blue Beach.” All three chicks have transitioned from parental care on Little Blue  Beach into biologist care in a dedicated nursery area, where they will learn essential developmental  skills. Once they are fully grown and have developed their juvenile waterproof feathers, they will be  gradually introduced back into the colony. 

Known for their striking slate-blue feathers, Little Blue Penguins are the smallest species of penguin in  the world. As a diurnal species, they spend most of their day swimming and foraging at sea, naturally  found along the coastlines of Southern Australia and New Zealand. Because of their small stature, Little  Blues are also known as “fairy penguins.”

The Little Blue Penguin hatch comes on the heels of the January 2026 arrival of three critically  endangered African Penguin chicks at the Aquarium, marking an exciting period of growth across the  Aquarium’s penguin habitats. Together, the back-to-back hatches underscore Adventure Aquarium’s  ongoing leadership in species care and conservation. 

The Little Blue Penguin chicks will be named by Adventure Aquarium staff as they continue to develop,  and their names will be announced on the Aquarium’s social media channels. You can follow their  journey on Instagram @adventureaquarium, Facebook and TikTok @adventureaqua. 

-ADVENTURE AQUARIUM 

Adventure Aquarium is home to a vast collection of aquatic species spanning two million gallons of  water and unparalleled, once-in-a-lifetime experiences like interactive touch exhibits, up-close animal  encounters, the largest collection of sharks in the Northeast, and the longest shark bridge in the world.  Some of the Aquarium’s exceptional residents include a colony of endangered African penguins and Nile  hippopotamuses Button and Genny – the only hippos in the world to be exhibited at an aquarium. As an  accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) for more than 30 years, Adventure  Aquarium is held to the highest standards in animal care and exhibition. For more information or to plan  a visit, go to AdventureAquarium.com.