Penguins Land In Providence: See When You Can See Them At Roger Williams Park Zoo

PROVIDENCE, RI — Roger Williams Park Zoo is diving into summer with a splash — welcoming a dozen quirky, sun-loving penguins in a new exhibit opening Memorial Day weekend.

"Most people imagine snow and ice when they think of penguins, but our Humboldt penguins are from the hot, arid coastal regions of Chile and Peru," a zoo spokesperson said. "Humboldt penguins inhabit these coastal regions, favoring rocky environments near nutrient-dense waters."

Humboldt penguins stand 15-to-18 inches tall and weigh about nine pounds. Their waterproof, insulating feathers are maintained by constant preening with oil from their preen gland, zoo officials said. These marine birds consume a diet of fish, squid, and crustaceans.

There were more than a million Humboldt penguins in the mid-19th century, but since 1988 they are listed as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Zoo officials said their population continues to decline, with estimates of about 12,000 breeding pairs.

Primary threats to their survival include overfishing of essential prey species, accidental capture in fishing nets, and climate change disrupting food sources. Additionally, guano harvesting for fertilizer destroys crucial nesting sites, further endangering the species, according to zoo officials.

Roger Williams Park Zoo last had penguins in 2013 and will now be one of only 24 facilities in North America to care for this species.

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