Cathy Hendrie
PassPort to San Diego

Take a deep dive into the world of little blue penguins, now waddling about and torpedo swimming in their new home at Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Fifteen of the seabirds roam the splashy, sparkling enclosure, including “Azulito,” named by the public in an online contest this spring. Azulito, which translates to “little blue” in Spanish, is a perfect fit for the tiny penguin and his other pint-sized friends, given the appearance of their various shades of plumage, from navy to a cornflower hue, which gleams in the sun.

(Fun fact: Birch invites visitors to look closer and note that the penguins’ feathers aren’t actually blue, but that tiny fibers retract light in the blue spectrum, giving the Little Blues their trademark iridescent color.)

Just 12 inches tall and weighing just 2 to 3 pounds, the penguins are the smallest in the world and native to South Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. The mild San Diego climate is ideal for them. The small and mighty swimmers spend their days gliding and diving, using their stubby flippers like propellers to zoom through the water. To fuel this activity, they eat 20 percent their body weight daily, feeding on cold water fish, such as capelin. They also love to explore their surroundings and peer back at visitors at various viewing stations.

Visitors to Birch will also learn how to help protect the penguins from threats like oil drilling, plastic in the ocean and climate change. Goopy oil, for example, clings to penguin feathers, and preening can make the penguins, and their chicks, very ill. And a warming planet means fewer fish to eat, flooding of nesting areas and decreased odds of breeding. The exhibit notes ways to combat these threats to keep the penguin parade marching forward.

Birch is the only place on the West Coast to see these wonderful waddlers and sensational swimmers. Come face to face with them during extended summer hours from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. most days through Sept. 5. Regular hours are 9 a.m-5 p.m. the rest of the year.

Also be sure to explore the aquarium’s hands-on exhibits and over 60 fish and invertebrate habitats showcasing the research and findings of the world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography, one of the largest centers for ocean and Earth science research.

Please note, advanced reservations are still required. Visit Birch Aquarium’s website at https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/ to learn more and check the daily schedule.