We have some EGG-citing news!

THREE baby penguins have hatched at Mississippi Aquarium!

OH BABY! Come SEA the little penguins for a limited time - Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30am-2:00pm ONLY until the end of April 2025!

These chicks are the first penguins hatched in Mississippi!

Penguin Chicks 1, 2, and 3 are doing well and so are the penguin parents!
Unfortunately, our penguins aren't on campus yet (we're still fundraising for their on-campus habitat), but you can catch some of the adult members of the colony by booking a penguin encounter!

Stay tuned to our website and social platforms for updates on the Penguin Chicks as they grow and special announcements!
Remember - Annual Passholders always get the news FIRST!

In the meantime, EGG-cited to SEA more of these shore birds?

Donate to Chick 1, Chick 2, or Chick 3 below or donate directly to the habitat and you'll also receive special updates, exclusive content, and have a chance to name one!

Our dolphin friends helped to reveal the genders of the Penguin Chicks!

Penguin Chick 1 - Male | Penguin Chick 2 - Female | Penguin Chick 3 - Female

Now for the hard part... their names!

We're looking for YOUR help to find the perfect names for these little ones!

There are a couple of ways to participate and get in on the fun:

1. Submit your name suggestion below for a chance to peng-WIN an EXCLUSIVE encounter for up to 10 people*, a gift from the penguins, and so much more!

Donate to the cause and get extra entries! Every $5 donated to Project Penguin is 1 entry.

Enter TODAY - May 25 with drawing on May 31, 2025.

All funds collected go to support the on-campus penguin habitat. This great addition will allow our visitors to SEA the penguins EVERYDAY!

2. Keep your eyes on our Social Media Channels for some fun games to help determine and reveal the chick's names.

* Encounter participants must be 5 years of age and older to participate. Blackout dates apply.

What's black and white and needs a new home?

Our South African "Mississippian" Penguins!

African Penguins are one of the most endangered penguin species and are in urgent need of conservation intervention. Our colony of African Penguins here at Mississippi Aquarium have an important job to act as ambassadors for their species. Caring for this species allows us to educate guests and spread their conservation message.

Penguins are a cute and charismatic species of seabird that is recognized by young and old throughout the world. Of the 18 species, more than half are found in warmer climate. Penguins can be found on every continent south of the equator from the Galapagos Islands to Peru, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica. Mississippi Aquarium is home to a small colony of African Penguins. The African Penguin is found on the Southwest coast of South Africa and as far north as Namibia.

These beautiful birds are hard to miss on the beaches of Africa, distinguished by their striking black and white plumage and loud donkey-like bray. But the African Penguin is in crisis. Listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, there are less than 10,000 breeding pairs left in the wild, and the population is still in decline. Essentially, the African Penguin has declined 97% from its historic populations and it is predicted that the species could go extinct in South Africa by 2035.

For decades, the African Penguin has faced many issues resulting in population decline. Guano harvesting, egg collect, introduced predators, and marine population have historically been problematic for these penguins. Today, the African penguin’s biggest threats are habitat loss, overfishing, pollution including oil spills, and climate change.

For more information on being a MAJOR part of Project Penguin, contact Whitney Sumrall, Director of Business Development, at wsumrall@msaquarium.org or (228) 241-1203.

MEET OUR
AFRICAN
PENGUIN
COLONY

AND THE NEWEST ADDITIONS!