Although the three new additions are now open for public viewing, officials stated that the baby penguins primarily stay within their nest inside the facility, making them inaccessible to visitors
The Byculla zoo marks the first successful hatching of Humboldt penguins in over a year. Pic/ @TheMumbaiZoo
Mumbai’s Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Vanaspati Udyan and Zoo recently celebrated the birth of three Humboldt penguin chicks—Noddy, Tom, and Pingu—bringing the zoo’s penguin population to 21. This marks the first successful hatching at the zoo in over a year.
Mumbai’s Byculla Zoo has welcomed three new Humboldt penguin chicks named Noddy, Tom, and Pingu, born in March to two penguin pairs.
— Mid Day (@mid_day) April 29, 2025
This is the first penguin birth at the zoo in over a year, bringing the total count to 21.
While they are now open for public viewing, the chicks… pic.twitter.com/P9BTGejuqJ
The chicks were born to three different pairs of penguin parents. Popeye and Olive welcomed Noddy on March 4, while Daisy and Donald saw the arrival of Tom and Pingu on March 7 and March 11, respectively.
Their birth was officially announced on April 25, coinciding with World Penguin Day.
२५ एप्रिल - जागतिक पेंग्विन दिवस
— The Mumbai Zoo (@TheMumbaiZoo) April 25, 2025
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25 April - World Penguin Day
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Watch VIRTUALLY WILD | EPISODE 02 | HUMBOLDT PENGUIN: A SUCCESSFUL JOURNEY > on THE MUMBAI ZOO YouTube Channel
.#themumbaizoo #wildlife #birds #penguinday #25april #bycullazoo #ranibagh pic.twitter.com/UMeyFXRQCA
Though the chicks—affectionately called the zoo’s “tiniest waddlers”—are thriving, they remain mostly within their nests and are not yet fully visible to the public.
Zoo officials report that the parents are feeding the chicks by chewing food and passing it on directly.
The penguins, whose average age is between 6–7 years, are part of a successful breeding program that has garnered praise from zoos across India.
To support future expansion, the zoo has proposed an additional 400-square-foot enclosure capable of housing up to 40 penguins.
In 2023, the Byculla Zoo celebrated the birth of three Humboldt penguins — Coco and Stella (females), and Jerry (male) — born to three different pairs.
With the recent arrival of more chicks, the zoo’s penguin population has now risen to 21. However, the growing numbers have sparked logistical concerns.
In response, the zoo has initiated animal exchange proposals, offering some of its penguins in hopes of acquiring other species.
Yet, the initiative has seen no success so far, largely due to the high maintenance costs associated with penguin care. This has raised alarms over the potential space crunch at the zoo’s current penguin enclosure.
“In 2016, we brought eight penguins into the zoo. Over the years, we have made sure that their habitat is taken care of so that they can live properly and breed as well. We also created rocky crevices in their habitat where the penguins could build their nest and lay eggs. Though we did not have any new hatchlings last year, three chicks joined the family in March. All of them are healthy and will start swimming as well in about three months,” Dr Abhishek Satam, zoo biologist, stated.
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