This summer Turtle Back Zoo opened up a new habitat for its flock of African penguins. Thanks to the Zoological Society of NJ who funded the project, the new “Penguin Coast” exhibit doubles the
size of the zoo’s old penguin exhibit and recreates the South African coast line where these birds are found. The renovations provide large viewing windows for an unobstructed view and allow the zoo to acquire additional birds in the future. With the additional space, our zoo will be able to participate in the penguin species survival plan breeding program.

No! African is not a misprint. This is now the official name for the black footed penguin also
known as the jackass penguin that lives on the rocky shores and in the water around southwest
Africa. The climate is very much like New Jersey’s and so the zoo’s African penguins are very comfortable living here. Penguins are birds, but they don’t fly; at least not in the air. They appear to be flying underwater, however. Come see for yourself how they swim, dive, and turn with lightning speed. Their superb swimming skills rival that of the seals and porpoises.
There are seventeen recognized species of penguins, all living in the Southern Hemisphere. Most
occupy the ocean and islands around the Antarctic ice pack to the land masses of Southern South America, Southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Only two species spend most of their time on Antarctica. These are the Emperor and the Adelie. The most northern species is the Galapagos penguin that lives in the waters around the Galapagos Islands.