Chicks hatched at Tulsa Zoo mark step forward for critically endangered African penguins

The Tulsa Zoo welcomed two new African penguin chicks to its colony earlier this year.

The zoo partners with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to create a species survival plan and ensure the continued existence of threatened species.

Nesting Season

Two sets of penguin parents were chosen to breed this nesting season from the Tulsa Zoo's colony of African penguins. Ireland and Dassen were parents before and successfully hatched two chicks, River and Mickey, in 2022. Their newest chick hatched Jan. 4, 2025 marking the zoo's 30th chick to hatch since the African penguin exhibit opened in 2002.

The next pair of parents are Prince and Sphen. Prince, the second chick's mother, came to the Tulsa Zoo in September 2024 and quickly formed a close bond with Sphen. They laid two eggs, but since Prince and Sphen were first-time nesters, zookeepers gave one of their eggs to foster parents Domino and Frodo.

"Oftentimes the inexperienced pairs do not do a great job, especially if they had two eggs and two chicks it would be very difficult," said zookeeper Seana Flossic. "We want to give the chick the best chance at survival, so Domino and Frodo were rockstars at raising that second chick."

The second chick hatched on Jan. 29, 2025. The zoo said penguin chicks will then stay in the parents nest for about 20 days.

"By the time it is around 20 days old, it gets very visible in the nest," Flossic continued saying, "It gets big really fast, so we are making sure that the parents are basically guarding it, keeping it in the nest, and feeding well."

Penguin Chick Milestones

After a penguin chick has left its parents nest the zookeepers will start hand feeding them three times a day. "We are giving vitamins and medications to some of our penguins and to monitor that we hand feed and so we want the chicks to start learning that early, so they get used to that," added Flossic.

The chicks eat a variety of fish and the amount they get is determined by their weight. The penguins are weighed every morning and will get 10% of whatever that number is.

Flossic said, "This morning the first chick was about two and a half kilograms, so we will offer about 250 grams of fish at each feed."

Zookeepers will try to mimic the penguin parents when they first start hand feeding a chick. "That is very natural for the chick to reach up for that fish and so when we make the little "V" it is almost like the parents beak coming in," said Flossic.

Conservation Efforts

The success of the Tulsa Zoo's most recent African penguin nesting season is a major step forward for the species. In 2024, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) moved the African penguin from an endangered species to critically endangered. They are the first of 18 penguin species globally to meet the criteria for this classification.

Flossic said, "The numbers are in decline in such a way that they will be extinct in the next 10 years in the wild."

African penguins have lost 97% of their population in the wild. However, in North American zoos and aquariums there are about 1,200. This growing number and the recent successful hatchings at the Tulsa Zoo are a testament to its conservation efforts.

"Having these chicks that are genetically valuable to the population is keeping the population strong, stable, diverse, and around for a very long time, way longer than 10 years," said Flossic.

Tulsa Zoo Hours & Location

The Tulsa Zoo is located at 6421 E 36th St. North. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the last admission at 4 p.m. For more information on zoo exhibits or ticket prices click here.