A Gem Of A Penguin Named At SeaWorld

SAN DIEGO — SeaWorld San Diego has officially named the the emperor penguin chick hatched Sept. 12. The fuzzy little chick will now be known as Pearl, park officials announced in a news release today.

According to the release, more than 29,000 people voted with the name Pearl receiving more than half the votes.

Pearl is the first Emperor Penguin chick hatched at SeaWorld San Diego since 2010 and the park is the only zoo in the Western Hemisphere where the biggest of the 18 penguin species can be seen in captivity.

In response to the public interest in her arrival, "SeaWorld San Diego has created two new special ticket opportunities to enable a limited number of guests to see her now behind-the-scenes, with ten percent of the proceeds going to support penguin conservation around the world," the park said.

The first ticket opportunity, the Ultimate Penguin On-Ice Experience and Viewing of Pearl, will allow a limited number of guests for the first time, will be invited to step onto the snow among six different penguin species, including the emperor penguins, at Penguin Encounter.

"They will learn about penguins from an aviculturist, who will share what it takes to care for these highly specialized animals. Guests will receive a rare and extremely special viewing of Pearl," the news release said.

The second experience, the Penguin Up Close Tour and Viewing of Pearl will allow guests to go behind the scenes at Penguin Encounter for an up-close interaction with one of the penguins from Penguin Encounter. "They will meet an aviculturist and learn what it takes to care for the animals" and will also receive "a rare viewing of Pearl," the news release said.

Tickets for the Ultimate Penguin On-Ice Experience and Viewing of Pearl start at $199 while tickets for the Penguin Up Close Tour and Viewing of Pearl start at $94, SeaWorld said.

Tickets can be purchased at Penguin Encounter.

"We have been amazed by the outpouring of excitement around Pearl's hatching and cannot wait for guests to be able to see her and follow her journey as she matures," SeaWorld San Diego's Head of Zoological Operations Eric Otjen said. "This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for most
people given the rarity of the species, so these new limited time viewings are something extremely special."

While eager penguin watchers will surely make Pearl a top attraction at SeaWorld's Penguin Encounter, unless they are lucky enough to score a ticket to one of the special ticketing opportunities, they won't be able to see the hottest chick on the block until 2024, when she is expected to finally be ready to make her debut to the general public.

Emperor penguins — there is a colony of 17 at SeaWorld — are listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act due to the loss of Antarctic sea ice and rising sea levels caused by climate change.

For more information on Pearl and SeaWorld's other penguin residents, visit SeaWorld in person or visit the Penguin Encounter online by clicking here.