Countdown to Extinction:
One Decade to Save African Penguins
Ten years. Ten years is all that likely stands between the African Penguin becoming functionally Extinct-in-the-Wild. African Penguin numbers in South Africa are continuing to plummet, with fewer than 3% of their population remaining – the equivalent of 9,000 pairs. The current plight of this dwindling species has recently led to their International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s status being uplisted from Endangered to Critically Endangered last October. The fight for the future of the African Penguin remains in full throttle, with the National Aviary leading the way.
A Double Dose of Hope
In March of 2025, we excitedly announced the vital hatching of two African Penguin chicks from beloved adult pair Bette and Sidney (Sid). Their first chick hatched on February 7 weighing about 60.5 grams – about the weight of a standard pack of gum. The younger sibling hatched just a few days later on February 10, weighing about 55 grams, or about 14 sugar packets. Now at more than 5 weeks old, these roly-poly chicks have more than doubled in size behind-the-scenes under the watchful eyes of Mom and Dad, while slowly building a relationship with their care team.
Sid, Bette, and the rest of our African Penguin colony are part of a crucial Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-led Species Survival Plan® (SSP) initiative, which works to build a strong penguin population under expert care. The two new chicks are the 11th and 12th to have fledged from Bette and Sidney at the Aviary (dedicated Aviary supporters will recall when their very first chick, Tribby, hatched in 2012!)
Quality Care from the Start
The National Aviary’s veterinary staff led by USDA-accredited Dr. Pilar Fish, the Senior Director of Zoological Advancement and Avian Medicine, treats every new hatching, no matter their IUCN status, with the same individualized and high level of care. Those efforts are echoed by other team members, including those who oversee the penguin colony, and those in our Breeding Center.
That first African Penguin chick is a great example of this dedication, as they needed the support of National Aviary Senior Aviculturist, Brianna Crane to hatch in our Breeding Center. Hatching is hard work requiring a lot of energy to break through several layers of membrane and shell, which means some chicks require a helping hand to get the job done.
The younger chick hatched on their own alongside Mom and Dad. In their first check-up, the care team noticed a very minor eye abrasion that they monitored closely – within a few days it healed naturally on its own! Both chicks underwent thorough health check-ups and neonatal treatments, including nebulization, which helps penguin chicks ward off minor respiratory infections. Over the next several weeks, the chicks will continue to acclimate to limited time away from Mom and Dad with the hope that they will eventually feed on their own. Stay tuned for updates, as well as more stories about the penguin parents, their past offspring (including Pierogi, a chick they raised as surrogate parents), as well as our work with wild penguin populations.
We Need You
While Sidney and Bette continue to care for their chicks behind-the-scenes, your gift can help their species in the wild. Together, we can work to reverse the trend of African Penguin extinction. Your gift today to our Spring Annual Campaign will be matched by two anonymous friends of the National Aviary, up to $25,000!
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