Humboldt Penguin Habitat Renovation

Penguins of the Pacific

The Milwaukee County Zoo’s Humboldt penguins reside in a highly visible habitat that greets all guests who enter Zoo grounds through the main entrance, the U.S. Bank Gathering Place. And the week of March 25, construction on the habitat begins, as the Zoo renovates and upgrades the existing space, built in the 1980s. The Zoo is home to a breeding colony of 15 Humboldt penguins and is one of only 22 facilities across the United States and Canada to care for this species. Humboldt penguins are listed as Vulnerable in their natural range of Peru and Chile.

Most prominent of the changes will be the pool with a larger footprint, expanding from the existing 10,000 gallons up to 30,000 gallons of water. Larger viewing windows, along with the removal of the existing handrail, will provide increased opportunities for nose-to-beak penguin interaction for guests of all ages, creating inspiring and meaningful connections to nature.

The water filtration system will be completely replaced and updated for increased water circulation and purification — referred to as a Life Support System. And new shade structures will help provide more comfort to the flock.

During construction, the Humboldt penguins temporarily relocated to the behind-the-scenes Flamingo Building.

The project will be completed in late 2024.
Humboldt penguins’ natural range is along the coastal regions of Peru and Chile. Their population has been steadily declining in recent decades, and they are classified as “Vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Threats to the species include unregulated and overfishing of prey species; entanglement and drowning in fishing nets; the effects of recurring El Niño weather patterns; and the commercial removal of guano for fertilizer, which disrupts penguin nesting and breeding. Humboldt penguins in human care live around 20 years, on average, but some live well into their 30s — like Jack, one of the Zoo’s Humboldt penguins, who’s 33.
MCZ supports native Humboldt penguins through the Punta San Juan (PSJ) Program in Peru, providing financial assistance and volunteer support. The Punta San Juan Reserve has Peru’s largest Humboldt penguin colony with over 5,000 birds. Volunteers help with tasks like penguin census counts and overseeing the guano harvest.

In Punta San Juan, the droppings of guanay cormorant birds are known as guano. Millions of these birds flock there, and large mounds of guano build up.

Humboldt penguins nest in burrows. These penguins use guano, which is clay-like, to build their nests on cliffsides, as they can’t burrow into rocks.

Rich in nitrogen, guano serves as a valuable fertilizer for Peru’s organic agriculture. Peruvian government entities harvest guano every four to six years. However, the overharvesting of guano can hurt penguins by limiting their nesting places. The PSJ Program oversees guano harvests and helps inform future sustainable practices.

The PSJ Program conserves biodiversity in the Humboldt Current by monitoring wildlife and ocean health. Learn more about the PSJ Program’s efforts and ongoing projects to protect Humboldt penguins and other marine life at puntasanjuan.org.

Humboldt Penguin Habitat Renovation

Penguins of the Pacific

Project Overview

Humboldt Penguins

Conservation Work