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Photos, Video: This Colony Of Little Fairy Penguins Now Lives In The Bronx

Jen Carlson

Published May 20, 2015

Modified May 20, 2015

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(Julie Larsen Maher / Wildlife Conservation Society)

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Jen Carlson

Published May 20, 2015

Modified May 20, 2015

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The first thing you need to know about little penguins is that they are actually most commonly called Little Penguins. And now these teeny tiny adorable creatures from Australia (the kind that enjoy a nice knit sweater now and again) are on debut at the Bronx Zoo. This is the first time the species have ever been exhibited there, and thanks to both the Bronx and Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, this will all help save little penguins in the wild and enhance the U.S breeding program. In the wild, their populations are threatened by climate change and... humans. Stupid humans and their stupid human activities.

How many little penguins are we talking about here? An entire colony! Check them out—and turn it up, because like most penguins, they too use a wide range of vocalizations to communicate.

Some fun facts about little penguins:

Named for their small size and characteristic bluish hue, little penguins are also known as blue penguins, little blue penguins, and fairy penguins (omg they just cuter).
Full-grown adults are only about 13 inches tall and weigh 2 to 3 pounds.
They are the smallest of the 18 penguin species and native to coastal southern Australia and New Zealand.
The species occurs in temperate marine waters and feed on fish, cephalopods and crustaceans. They nest colonially in burrows on sand dunes or rocky beach areas.

“The little penguins are acclimating well to their new home and are quite a sight to see,” said Jim Breheny, WCS Executive Vice President and General Director of the WCS Zoos and Aquarium. “The Bronx Zoo is focused on the conservation of the species we exhibit, and international partnerships and breeding programs like that of the little penguin are vital to ensuring the survival of the species in the wild through education, awareness, and connecting people to nature in a way that can only be accomplished through close, in-person encounters.”

Please, no one let SeaWorld come near these international treasures.

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blue penguins

fairy penguins

little penguins

the bronx zoo

Jen Carlson

Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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