Adventure Aquarium has a new star: Scrappy the African penguin chick! After two weeks of public voting from January 5 to January 19, fans chose the name through donations, with all proceeds going to support AZA SAFE African Penguins and SANCCOB. Scrappy is the 53rd African penguin chick born at the aquarium.
Before the name was official, Scrappy faced some tough competition. The Birds & Mammals team picked four fun names—Flounder, Toothless, Zero, and Scrappy—based on a “sidekicks and dragons” theme inspired by his mom, Mushu. In the end, Scrappy won, a perfect name for a little penguin with a bright future.
Scrappy hatched on November 21 to parents Mushu and Hubert, marking their second chick. His arrival is significant for a species in trouble. African penguins were declared critically endangered in October 2024 due to habitat loss and environmental changes. Experts warn they could be functionally extinct by 2035 without strong conservation efforts. Each successful hatch, like Scrappy’s, is a win for the species and the conservation partners supported by the donations.
Scrappy is set to join the colony this spring once he gets his waterproof feathers. Want to keep up with his journey? Follow Adventure Aquarium on social media for updates on Scrappy’s milestones and his debut in the colony. Don’t miss the chance to see this future fan favorite in person!
