Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins
Get ready to be immersed in the world of Little Blue Penguins! Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins follows the world’s smallest penguins on their journey from hatchlings to adults, highlighting the challenges they face in a changing climate while celebrating the features that make Little Blues so unique and adorable! They're the smallest species of penguin — less than 12 inches tall, and weighing just 2 to 3 pounds — and are known for their unique blue color, and their big personalities. Birch Aquarium is the only aquarium in the Western U.S. to house these gregarious seabirds.
About the New Habitat
Come face-to-face with Little Blue Penguins as they waddle, swim and glide about their new home. This new attraction brings the world’s smallest penguins to Southern California for the first time. The 2,900-square-foot habitat features an 18,000-gallon penguin lagoon, multiple cozy burrows, sandy beach and native plants that mimic the coast of New Zealand and Australia. Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins puts the spotlight on these fascinating seabirds, bringing attention to the important role they play in our ecosystems both in the ocean and on land.
Special Thanks
Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins is named in honor of a $1 million gift from the Beyster Family, who are long-time supporters of Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Birch Aquarium.
In addition to the naming gift made by the Beyster Family, generous gifts have also been received by Stephen M. Strachan to name the pool habitat, Wendy W. Kwok to name the amphitheater and one of our penguins, Julia R. Brown to name the penguins’ life support system, Katherine and Mathew McGee to name the children’s discovery portal. Other philanthropic supporters include Colin and Ellen Kennedy, Miranda Ko and Jared Cui, Phillips Widroe Family, John and Gail Eyle who helped name some of our penguins. KPBS is the official media sponsor of Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins.
Penguin Giving Opportunities Penguin Exhibit Naming Opportunities
Media Kit
Please reach out to Beth Chee, Director of Marketing, at bchee@ucsd.edu or 858-534-8555 to set up expert interviews.
Giving Opportunities
Please contact Rachel Wyman at rwyman@ucsd.edu to learn more about how you can help support our new habitat.
Behind-the-Scenes: Penguin Tours
Our Behind-the-Scenes Penguin Tours are currently on pause due to Avian Influenza.
In the meantime, check our our Behind-the-Scenes Seahorse Tours!
Special thanks to our media sponsor:
