Roger Williams Park Zoo to Debut Penguins Exhibit Memorial Day Weekend

A new exhibit featuring penguins is set to debut during Memorial Day weekend at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence. 

According to zoo officials, 12 Humboldt penguins will call the zoo their home. All but one has a name. They are Elmer, Felix, Goat, La Niña, Maverick, Peru, Qhari Tica (also known as QT), Sharky, Solo, Tal Tal, and Yaku. Each penguin stands approximately 15 to 18 inches tall and weighs about 9 pounds.

According to The Providence Journal, Humboldt penguins live in the hot, arid coastal regions of Chile and Peru. These penguins make their habitats in rocky coastal areas near waters that are full of nutrients. They consume crustaceans, fish, and squid. 

The last time the zoo had penguins was in 2013. The Roger Williams Park Zoo is one of 24 facilities across North America with Humboldt penguins in its care.

According to The Boston Globe, more than a million Humboldt penguins were in existence during the mid-19th century. Today, zoo officials estimate only about 12,000 breeding pairs can be found. 

“Primary threats to their survival include overfishing of essential prey species, accidental capture in fishing nets, and climate change disrupting food sources,” the zoo said in a statement. “Additionally, guano harvesting for fertilizer destroys crucial nesting sites, further endangering the species. Among the world's 17 penguin species, Humboldt penguins are notably at high risk.”

The Roger Williams Park Zoo is one of several zoo facilities involved in the “Species Survival Plan” created by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. According to the zoo, this program “facilitates collaborative breeding and transfer initiatives with other accredited zoos and aquariums, thereby promoting a healthy and genetically diverse population.”