CONEY ISLAND — An endangered African penguin is about to be a star at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) New York Aquarium in Coney Island.
The male penguin hatched Dec. 4, 2025, and weighed 63.2 grams. This is the 19th hatching of an African penguin at the New York Aquarium.
He joins his parents and other penguins at the aquarium’s Sea Cliffs habitat, which is currently home to 37 African penguins.
At three months old, he weighs about 3.4 kilograms.
The African penguin chick stands on a scale to be weighed during a veterinarian exam at New York Aquarium on Jan. 28, 2026. Photo: WCS
“The aquarium’s animal keepers tracked developmental benchmarks as the chick grew, including a target 20% daily weight gain, transition from soft down to waterproof feathers, and demonstration of strong social, swimming and hopping behaviors,” said the WCS in a press release.
It is estimated that only roughly 9,900 breeding pairs remain in the wild.
“Combining field conservation, husbandry and veterinary care, this undertaking has seen marked success; since 2005, the African penguin’s SSP population has grown by 47% with over 98% genetic diversity maintained,” stated the WCS.
“The African penguin is a flightless bird endemic to the rocky coasts of South Africa and Namibia. They are one of the smallest penguin species in the world and are considered critically endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.”
African penguin chick is examined by a resident veterinarian at New York Aquarium on Dec. 12, 2025. Photo: WCS
Wild populations have declined by 75% in the past two decades due to scarcity of prey fish, human disturbance, habitat loss and other threats.
The New York Aquarium has long celebrated sea life.
Last year, it announced the birthday of Atlantic harbor seal, Pickles, who turned 17 years old.The long-term resident at the aquarium has participated in the Sea Lion Celebration in the Aquatheater.
African penguin chick’s weight is measured during a veterinarian exam at New York Aquarium on Dec. 12, 2025. Photo: WCS
In 2024, it also welcomed a pair of southern sea otters to its Sea Cliffs exhibit.The two females were rescued in California at young ages and were deemed non-releasable as pups. They were cared for in other facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) before arriving in Coney Island.
The penguin at the aquarium’s Sea Cliffs habitat. Photo: WCS
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