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Gerry hatched on November 30 as part of AZA’s Species Survival Program for these endangered birds, and was raised by our most experienced foster parents, Walvis and Boulders. Savvy Penguin Cam viewers may have spotted Gerry on exhibit in December, but, as with all our penguin chicks, they’ve spent the last few weeks behind the scenes in “penguin school” learning how to swim. Now that they’ve lost their fluffy chick plumage and begun to socialize with adult birds behind the scenes, they’re ready to be back with the rest of the colony on exhibit!
Gerry is the genetic offspring of Amigo—who hatched at the Aquarium in 2016—and Elizabeth. Much like their father, Gerry’s personality is independent and feisty! And fun fact: This is the first time we’ve had three generations of a penguin family on exhibit!
We don’t yet know Gerry’s sex, so we’re using the gender-inclusive pronoun “they” until we determine sex via a blood test. The penguin is – for now – wearing a female name band (black with white letters), but only for identification purposes.
The chick was named after Gerry Low-Sabado, whose ancestors were among the first Chinese settlers on the Monterey Peninsula. Gerry was passionate about sharing the history and contributions of Chinese-Americans to the region with visitors to the Aquarium and the community at large. Before her death in 2021, she contributed to our Turning the Tide summer program, where she described how her ancestors developed the squid fishery in Monterey Bay while enduring anti-Chinese sentiments.
In honor of Gerry’s dedicated work as an educator, community preservationist, and friend of the Aquarium, we made the decision to name our newest chick after her.
Come bray hello to Gerry the next time you visit or watch them waddle their way into your heart on our Penguin Cam!
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