A brand new baby has arrived at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, and it’s making waves!
On February 1st, 2024, the Birch Aquarium announced the hatching of their first Little Blue Penguin chick on New Year's Day 2024. Not only is it the first of its species bred in captivity at the facility, but also the first one hatched on the West Coast.
Little Blue Penguins, also called Little Fairy Penguins, are native to Australia and New Zealand. They’re a rarity in San Diego County, with only a handful in captivity in all of Southern California, and they’re considered a threatened species.
The penguin chick represents the first step in improving the genetic diversity of this penguin species in the US.
For the next few months, the chick will get the full attention of the penguin care team as it is hand raised. Visitors won’t be able to see it yet, but the chick will join the rest of the colony in the Beyster Family Little Blue Penguin species exhibit in about three months.
Along with dozens of other marine species native to the waters around San Diego and throughout the world, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps is one of our favorite attractions in San Diego, a real treat for an afternoon with our families.
Birch Aquarium Tide Pools
For discounted admission grab Go City San Diego passes using discount code GVSD5OFF for your whole family and consider combining your visit with a trip to the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld San Diego or one of the more than a dozen museums in Balboa Park. All are excellent choices for families!