Penguin Point Now Open

Penguin Point, the Aviary’s new 2,300 square-foot African penguin exhibit, opened May 23, 2009, providing penguin fans a great opportunity to get close to these remarkable birds.

The new exhibit affords 360-degree views of African penguins swimming, playing, nesting and scaling rocks in an open-air space. A wheelchair accessible Kids ViewTube under the exhibit offers underwater views of the penguins as they dive, swim and “fly” through the pool, while domed bubbles allow young guests the chance to pop up in the middle of the penguin group.

Additional underwater viewing windows allow children the chance to see the birds swimming at eye level, while windows on the exhibit’s heated nesting burrows provide insider perspective of the birds at rest. Four of the burrows include a nestcam feature, which will allow visitors to follow the progress of chicks, should the birds breed.

Additional exhibit features include a touch-screen on which guests can access ‘biographies’ on each of the birds in the exhibit. The bios include descriptions of the birds’ markings so that they can be identified individually, background on where they are from, and a bit about their personalities. Guests can also watch video of African penguin rescue efforts in South Africa, and learn about ways to protect these birds through support of the National Aviary and other African penguin conservation groups. Guests can also access various YouTube videos of the Aviary’s penguins.

The new penguin exhibit is the first of a number of new exhibits that are part of a multi-year, $23 million expansion and renovation of the National Aviary that includes a FliteZone™ theater for indoor bird shows and a green roof for raptor flight demonstrations. The National Aviary’s overall reconstruction, including expanded building wings and new façades, is a project of SPRINGBOARD Architecture Communication Design LLC of Pittsburgh; the FliteZone™ Theater, the Rooftop Raptor Encounter theater and new interior exhibit spaces have been designed by Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets, Inc (PGAV).

“Creating a penguin exhibit was a priority for us, not only because of the appeal of these birds, but also because of their rapidly declining wild populations,” says National Aviary Board Chair Mike Flinn. “This exhibit provides a compelling forum for educating visitors about these birds and the need for all of us to take conservation action.”

Individuals, families and organizations that wish to play a role in building the new exhibit can purchase a wooden penguin imprinted with their name that will become a permanent part of the exhibit area. The wooden penguins are available for $100 and can be purchased by contacting Kelly Blais at 412.323.7235, x235.

Penguin Point Fun Facts

Recruiting the team…
Six new penguins have joined the National Aviary, bringing the roster to 11.

Penguins in their midst…
Once they enter Penguin Point, guests find themselves outdoors in the midst of a mini penguin colony where birds dive and torpedo their way through the acrylic-fronted pool. Guests who move to the back of the exhibit will be nearly nose to beak with penguins perched on the rock wall, while those who enter the Kids ViewTube can see the birds’ antics from all directions

So that’s why they call them jackass penguins…
African penguins have several official names, including black-footed penguin and yes, jackass penguin, the latter due to their honking braying call that sounds remarkably like a donkey.

An egg-cellent view…
Penguin Point includes several built-in nesting cubbies. In time, the National Aviary plans to breed select members of the group, and guests will have the opportunity to watch the eggs hatch and the chicks develop. Once hatched, the chicks will be fed regurgitated food by both parents.

0-0-Penguin: The Ocean is Not Enough
In the 1920s there were over one million African penguins in existence. Today there are only 60,000 of these birds left in the wild. Over fishing, loss of nesting sites and pollution due to human population growth, together with chronic oil spills, are the main causes of their ongoing, rapid decline. The National Aviary is a participant in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) African Penguin Species Survival Plan, a carefully monitored breeding program that seeks to preserve healthy, genetically diverse populations of African penguins.