06/12/2026
We are thrilled to announce the successful hatching of 3 Magellanic penguin chicks, our first chicks in nearly three years!
The penguin “nursery” has been bustling with the shrill squeaks and peeps of the 4-week-old fluffy chicks, as dedicated bird staff have been hand-rearing them nearly 24-hours a day since they hatched in mid-May.
SF Zoo’s Magellanic penguins are considered the most successful breeding colony in an AZA-accredited facility. This year, we were approved to breed by the Magellanic Penguin SSP, and our team opted to hand-rear the chicks rather than have them parent-reared as some of the potential parents were not considered experienced.
For now, the chicks are behind-the-scenes, growing steadily. Guests will see them for the first time later this summer when they take their ceremonious “march” to Penguin Island.
(Note: the red lighting in the video comes from the heat lamps. Their nursery is both cooled and heated for comfortability of the chicks. As they age, and get better insulating feathers, the heat lamps will be raised until they are at a cool ambient temp. Then there is a seamless introduction to outside temperatures when the time comes)
