Audubon Aquarium Holds Gender Reveal for Penguin Chick

The newest arrival at Audubon Aquarium had a unique gender reveal announcement this week. The new baby is a critically endangered African penguin chick and the Aquarium’s dive team decided to help announce the sex of the youngster.

While the Aquarium’s animal care team waited, the divers swam behind them with the official announcement – it’s a boy!

Determining the sex of young penguins is difficult, and DNA testing of the chick’s shell was conducted to verify the chick’s gender. He hatched on February 11, 2026, and currently resides inside the Aquarium’s “Care Corner”, where he is being fed and monitored by the animal care team. 

The “Care Corner” houses incubators and special holding boxes to give the chick warmth and comfort, along with a large penguin plushie to snuggle as he grows. Aquarium guests can see the youngster and watch his care team tend him throughout the day. 

The chick is the offspring of Hubig and Ocio, a prolific penguin pair who have several past chicks residing in the Aquarium’s colony including Moon, Titan, and Calypso. The chick is being hand raised by the animal care team to help him get used to human interaction. This will allow him to participate in his health care throughout his life.

African penguins are found on the coast of South Africa and are threatened by habitat loss, overfishing of their food sources, and are susceptible to oil spills and other environmental conditions.

A contest will be held to officially name the chick, details will be announced soon.