Penguin Beach

You have now arrived at our African penguin exhibit at the Toledo Zoo. This exhibit is right next to our Aquarium and has three different areas to observe the penguins. The front view lets you notice the small waterfall to your left, the water area at the front and the beach to your right. The front view of the exhibit has a smaller pool of water which is between 5 and 6 feet deep.

This exhibit also has a viewing area near the exit of the Aquarium. This area gives you a look at the exhibit from higher up, with a great view of the waterfall and a better look at the beach. The back of the exhibit, near the splash pad, shows much deeper water. Here you can experience the waterfowl and penguins swimming underwater in their exhibit. The water in this part of the exhibit is about 10 feet deep.

As you get near the exhibit you may hear braying, a sound like a donkey makes, coming from our penguins, as well as quacking or splashing from our ducks. These ducks share the exhibit with our penguins.

The African penguin is the only type of penguin that can be found on the continent of Africa. They have a bold black-and-white pattern across their body as well as black and gray feet. They also have pink patches above their eyes — these are glands that send blood to be cooled to help the penguin when it gets too warm.

Most African penguins weigh between 6 and 7 pounds, about the size of a small cat. African penguins are great swimmers, reaching speeds of up to 6 mph. Their body shape helps them “fly” through the water. Diving underwater to catch fish, these penguins can hold their breath for up to 5 minutes.

Sometimes you can notice the penguins waddling throughout the exhibit, standing or lying on the beach, jumping in and out of the water and swimming at all parts of the exhibit.

We hope you enjoyed your tour of our African penguin exhibit and learned more about the animals that call it home. Have a great rest of your day at the Toledo Zoo!