Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach welcomes five more penguin chicks

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WWAY) — Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach has welcomed five additional African penguin chicks, bringing the total number of chicks hatched at the aquarium this year to seven.

The aquarium previously welcomed two African penguin chicks earlier this year. The newest chicks are being monitored by the aquarium’s animal care team as they grow and reach developmental milestones.

Officials say the chicks’ health and well-being remain the priority, and their visibility to aquarium guests may vary as they continue to develop.

African penguins are classified as a critically endangered species. Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach works with the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, known as SANCCOB, as well as other zoos and aquariums on conservation efforts.

All three Ripley’s Aquariums participate in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, a cooperative program focused on maintaining healthy and genetically diverse populations of threatened and endangered species in human care.

The aquarium’s Penguin Playhouse opened in 2020 and is home to a colony of African penguins.