Meet the New Penguins in Town

It’s true, we love making banana penguins, but we also love our real life fluffy, feathered friends too. That’s why we were so pleased to hear that The Deep has named its penguin chicks that were born back in June. 

Part of the European breeding programme for Gentoos, the two chicks, one male and one female, derived from the DNA of a single tail feather. The news of their hatching a few months ago brought much celebration, as the species is currently classed as ‘Near Threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Inspired by the astounding work of the world-famous naturalist, the aquarists at The Deep have named the first male chick Attenborough (above left). Meanwhile, the second chick will be known as Lizzie (above right), in reference to Queen Elizabeth II. Sir David Attenborough is particularly pleased with his namesake, writing to the aquarium that he is “greatly flattered”.

Lizzie and Attenborough are now fully grown, which could be bigger than you think, as Gentoos are the third largest penguin species in the world. Often measuring up to 80cm tall and weighing 5-8kg, they look truly magnificent. The Gentoo exhibit has attracted many visitors since its installation in 2014 and raised over £40,000 for the Galapagos Conservative Trust.
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Head to the The Deep to catch a glimpse of the award-winning attraction's brand new additions. To take advantage of special savings, make sure to book online.