Humboldt Penguin Habitat

The new Humboldt Penguin Habitat opened to the public on Thursday, October 7, 2010. In early October, two male penguins, named Hugo and Lannie, arrived from the Philadelphia Zoo. In late October, the Zoo added Soren, Topper and Pengee from SeaWorld in California. Five female penguins are scheduled to join the waddle next spring.

The Zoo will continue its mission of “learn firsthand” by providing two daily penguin educational demonstrations led by our Zookeepers. During these demonstrations, the Zookeepers will engage and educate visitors about the penguin’s fragile state in their native homeland and the importance of keeping their survival a priority.

Check out photos of each penguin or read the latest press release.

Key features of the new habitat include:

• Expanded public viewing opportunities
• Hugo & Thelma Aspegren Conservation Center, an off exhibit facility for the penguins including a large gathering room for group educational opportunities
• Rocky beach allowing the penguins to hop from rock to rock
• A ten-foot tall photograph of Humboldt penguins in their natural habitat taken by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore

The Zoo has reached their $300,000 fundraising goal for the construction of the new Humboldt Penguin Habitat. Major contributions to the project were received from the Lancaster County Board with a grant from the Visitors Improvement Fund and gifts from the Hugo and Thelma Aspegren Charitable Trust and the WRK Family Foundation. Additional funding is being sought to support the care and dietary needs of the penguins. You can learn more about the special Humboldt penguin experiences being offered in 2011 by clicking here.

In March 2010, the Zoo announced they had been chosen to be one of only 16 zoos in the country to care for one of the rarest of the penguin species–the Humboldt penguin. Humboldt penguins are one of the few penguin species that prefer warmer climates, as they originate from the coasts of Peru and Chile. The Zoo has been approved to acquire 4-6 breeding pairs of penguins. Learn more about Humboldt penguins and read the original press release announcement.

Make a tax deductible conrtibution online, or contact our development staff at 402.475.6741, ext. 131.

Special thanks to the following companies who worked tirelessly to complete this new exhibit.

Leifert Concrete Construction
BVH
Engineering Technologies
Hermsmeyer Pool
Heine's Painting
Crescent Electric
Hy-Electric
John Henry's
Tinus Plumbing
Concrete Industries
Capital Concrete Co.
General Excavating
Reimers Kaufman
Western Sand & Gravel Co.
D.H. Merritt & Sons
Midwest Steel
Earl Carter Lumber Co.
B&R Masonry
Revolution Wraps
Hamilton Equipment
Total Tool
John Austin
Funk Machine & Supply Inc.
Nebraska Bolt
American Drywall
Shane McCoy
Carman's Welding
IMSCORP
Comfort Tech
Hometown Glass
Bills VanDyke
Lincoln Parks & Recreation