By Jessy SHELTON

Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific debuted one of its newest members of the flock. Baby Ari was presented to the world on July 30. His parents are a pair of penguins from Brazil that were rescued in 2010. After four years of being paired for breeding, they successfully hatched and raised their first chick. Ari is a 3 month old Magellanic penguin who is making waves in his new home. 

“His parents represent this really cool genetic diversity that was not successful – until Ari,” said Megan Smylie, the Aquarium’s assistant curator and Sea Otter Program manager. 

The Aquarium participates in the Species Survival Program through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to ensure that these genetic diversities in zoos and aquariums are healthy and robust. Ari is the next step in that genetic diversity. 

His parents – Kate and Robbie – were two birds rescued from a stranding event in Brazil (a stranding event is when a marine animal washes ashore or gets stuck in shallow water); many of the birds in this event were malnourished. It is hypothesized that the Brazilian event resulted from a change in weather and wind patterns, forcing birds to come closer to shore to find food. This ultimately led these penguins, most of which were juveniles, to navigate stronger currents, making it more difficult to hunt. These changes in food abundance and location are likely to be more common as stronger impacts of climate change hit many species across the globe, leaving species like the Magellanic penguin vulnerable. 

Those who would like to see baby Ari and the rest of his flock can visit the June Keyes Penguin Habitat at the Aquarium of the Pacific during its regular operating hours. The adult penguins are typically fed in the morning, usually around 9:30 a.m., and again around 2:30 in the afternoon. They are fed restaurant-quality seafood. 

Ari is still developing his skills and gets fed more often; he will be fed a few times intermittently throughout the day when staff sees him seeking out food. Aquarium of the Pacific also has its webcam available 24 hours a day, which can be found on the aquarium’s website. 

In addition to Ari and his flock, other exhibits are available, such as diving sea birds of the northern hemisphere, the new jellyfish exhibit, touch tanks and more. 

The Aquarium of the Pacific is a non-profit organization dedicated to world-class conservation and connecting people to nature by presenting more than 12,000 animals and 100 exhibits. Animals such as Ari can be supported by people making donations, volunteering either individually or as a family, or by making a reservation to visit the aquarium – all found on its website aquariumofpacific.org.