Two tiny newcomers at the Adventure Aquarium in New Jersey are already stealing hearts and marking a major conservation milestone. Over the weekend, the aquarium announced that they welcomed two baby African Penguin chicks to its colony, the 51st and 52nd species chicks to hatch at the Aquarium. Officials said the arrival of the chicks, Oscar and Duffy, marked an incredible milestone for African Penguins, as the species was recently reclassified as critically endangered due to habitat loss and environmental factors. Adventure Aquarium said that Duffy is named after staff member Jen Duffy, who has been on the Bird and Mammal team at the Aquarium since 2006. Meanwhile, Oscar takes his namesake from his parents, Myer and Cornelia, a reference to the famous hot dog brand. The aquiram shared that African Penguins are native to the coast of southwestern Africa and, despite their size, can eat up to 20% of their body weight in one sitting. Without conservation efforts, experts predict that African Penguins could be functionally extinct by 2035, which emphasizes the importance of protecting and conserving species. Officials add that Oscar and Duffy’s arrival comes on the back of the hatching of Gabby and Shubert, the 49th and 50th African Penguins to hatch at Adventure Aquarium. They were also the first chicks to hatch since 2020, and both celebrated their first birthday on December 1. ...read more read less