Birch Aquarium announces death of Azulito the Little Penguin – NBC 7 San Diego

Azulito, an original “little blue penguin” at the Birch Aquarium in San Diego, died this month at age 11, according to the marine life center.

Azulito came to the aquarium from Australia in 2022 and became part of the West Coast's first blue penguin colony, which consists of other animals from five different zoos and aquariums. His name, which means “little blue one,” was chosen by the public through a naming contest and he is one of Birch's favorite penguins, they say.

Blue penguins – the world's smallest species of these waterfowl – have a life expectancy of 7 to 10 years, so Azulito was already elderly at the time of his death. He was in good health and died of natural causes on Aug. 8, Birch said.

“Azulito was an important member of the colony who brought joy to all of us with his inquisitive personality,” said Kayla Strate, Birch's assistant bird curator. “It's never easy to lose a member of our animal family, so thank you for your support and care.”

The habitat of Birch's Beyster family of little blue penguins was the first seabird exhibit in the aquarium's history. The 260-square-meter exhibit allows visitors to get up close and personal with the cute animals as they “waddle, swim and glide in their new home,” according to the aquarium.

The Birch Aquarium is part of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Since the program began in 2022, the team has helped hatch five blue penguin chicks.

According to the aquarium, the chicks learn important skills such as eating, socializing and swimming during the first few months. After about three months, each chick joins the rest of the colony.