CAMDEN, N.J. – Adventure Aquarium’s penguin colony just got a little bigger, as the Camden waterfront attraction announced the hatching of a third African penguin chick, joining earlier arrivals Oscar and Duffy. The latest addition, known for now as “chick #53,” was born on November 21 to penguin parents Mushu and Hubert, marking a hopeful milestone for a species on the brink of extinction.
To celebrate, Adventure Aquarium is turning to the public to choose the chick’s name. Starting Sunday, guests can vote in-person for one of four names—Scrappy, Zero, Flounder, or Toothless—through donation boxes located throughout the aquarium. Each vote benefits two leading conservation organizations: AZA SAFE African Penguins and The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). Voting will close January 19, with the winning name to be revealed January 20, Penguin Awareness Day.
“This is an especially meaningful hatch for us,” said Maddie Olszewski-Pohle, Biologist II and African Penguin Primary. “Mushu and Hubert did an exceptional job raising this chick, who happens to be the biggest of the season. Through this contest, our guests will directly support conservation programs protecting African penguins in the wild.”
The chick’s name options tie into a “dragons and sidekicks” theme, a nod to mother Mushu, named after the animated dragon from Disney’s Mulan. Like his siblings, the new chick will remain behind the scenes until his waterproof feathers develop and temperatures allow him to join the public exhibit.
African penguins were reclassified as critically endangered in late 2024 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, with some experts warning the species could face functional extinction by 2035 without significant intervention. Each successful hatch, aquarium officials say, represents vital progress in ongoing conservation efforts.
Adventure Aquarium, an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, participates in the AZA Species Survival Plan to maintain healthy, genetically diverse penguin populations under professional care. Guests can follow the chicks’ growth and milestones on social media at @adventureaquarium.
Adventure Aquarium celebrates the hatching of its third African penguin chick and invites guests to help name the newborn while supporting global conservation.