Penguin Passage

Pong the penguin is joined by a colony of these engaging flightless birds at Penguin Passage. Contrary to common belief, of the 17 species and subspecies of penguins found today, only a few come from cold climates, such as Antarctica. The African penguin you find here at the park is native to the southern coast of Africa and well-suited to our local climate.

Though penguins lost their ability to fly millions of years ago they have powerful flippers and streamlined bodies, which make them incredible swimmers. They can swim up to 20 miles per hour. At the Penguin Passage, watch them waddle, glide, or dive into the water. You can spend a great deal of time observing them from the underwater viewing window as they torpedo through the water.

Fun Fact: Not all penguins look alike! The black stripe and black spots on the chest and the pattern of spots are unique for every penguin, similar to human fingerprints. Their tuxedo black and white coloring is called countershading and it provides camouflage from above and below when they are in the water.