Monterey Bay Aquarium Monterey Bay Aquarium News

[Northwest_FIsh_Keeping]

Penguin habitat expansion (in the coming years)
I got the chance to hang out with Matt Wandell (Director of Exhibit operations) today and one thing he told me while we were talking and walking around was that the Aquarium plans to renovate the African Penguin habitat within the next few years.
Regarded by a lot of people as the "miss" aka the "worst" from MBA, mainly due to the amount depth they have for swimming, this renovation seeks to improve that and add more space.
@splendens found this concept art of the first image renderings of what it could look like.
Matt told me that the renovation will add more swimming depth for the Penguins, as well as add a lot more land space for the growing Colony.
Awesome to see they're touching the exhibit up.

 

[Great Argus]

Penguin habitat expansion (in the coming years)
I got the chance to hang out with Matt Wandell (Director of Exhibit operations) today and one thing he told me while we were talking and walking around was that the Aquarium plans to renovate the African Penguin habitat within the next few years.
Regarded by a lot of people as the "miss" aka the "worst" from MBA, mainly due to the amount depth they have for swimming, this renovation seeks to improve that and add more space.
@splendens found this concept art of the first image renderings of what it could look like.
Matt told me that the renovation will add more swimming depth for the Penguins, as well as add a lot more land space for the growing Colony.
Awesome to see they're touching the exhibit up.

Interesting, I wonder where the expansion space will come from if it follows through.

 

[snowleopard]

Minnesota Zoo opened a brand-new exhibit for African Penguins in 2011 and it's decent without being anything truly remarkable. The enclosure is 2,000 sq. ft. and here are a couple of photos:

@snowleopard

@pachyderm pro

The Monterey Bay Aquarium penguin exhibit expansion will be most welcome, but at a proposed 2,200 sq. ft. it's not going to be all that much different from what Minnesota Zoo produced a dozen years ago. To be honest, I would expect more from Monterey Bay. Why settle for 'decent'?

 

[Northwest_FIsh_Keeping]

Interesting, I wonder where the expansion space will come from if it follows through.

If I remember correctly, the space between the two rocks + a little more outward from that will be the new expansion space. So they're going

Minnesota Zoo opened a brand-new exhibit for African Penguins in 2011 and it's decent without being anything truly remarkable. The enclosure is 2,000 sq. ft. and here are a couple of photos:

@snowleopard

@pachyderm pro

The Monterey Bay Aquarium penguin exhibit expansion will be most welcome, but at a proposed 2,200 sq. ft. it's not going to be all that much different from what Minnesota Zoo produced a dozen years ago. To be honest, I would expect more from Monterey Bay. Why settle for 'decent'?

Yeah I'm hoping they add a bit more space to the left as well (if you've been you might know what I'm talking about).
It is just the first vision and the same person that made the Into the Deep concept art from the link also made this, and from the art to final product for Into the Deep, they did change quite a lot so hopefully they'll do the same here

 

[Great Argus]

The Monterey Bay Aquarium penguin exhibit expansion will be most welcome, but at a proposed 2,200 sq. ft. it's not going to be all that much different from what Minnesota Zoo produced a dozen years ago. To be honest, I would expect more from Monterey Bay. Why settle for 'decent'?

I assume space limitations - hence my wondering where the added space will come from in my earlier post. I suspect a couple of the smaller exhibits nearer to the penguins may get removed to make way for this.

 

[SwampDonkey]

Penguin habitat expansion (in the coming years)
I got the chance to hang out with Matt Wandell (Director of Exhibit operations) today and one thing he told me while we were talking and walking around was that the Aquarium plans to renovate the African Penguin habitat within the next few years.
Regarded by a lot of people as the "miss" aka the "worst" from MBA, mainly due to the amount depth they have for swimming, this renovation seeks to improve that and add more space.
@splendens found this concept art of the first image renderings of what it could look like.
Matt told me that the renovation will add more swimming depth for the Penguins, as well as add a lot more land space for the growing Colony.
Awesome to see they're touching the exhibit up.

That is literally what I thought, it was definitely the only "miss" at the aquarium and stood out as oddly shallow.

If I remember correctly, the space between the two rocks + a little more outward from that will be the new expansion space. So they're going

Yeah I'm hoping they add a bit more space to the left as well (if you've been you might know what I'm talking about).
It is just the first vision and the same person that made the Into the Deep concept art from the link also made this, and from the art to final product for Into the Deep, they did change quite a lot so hopefully they'll do the same here

It sounds like they are just adding some on either side and re-designing it a little from the outside visitor area as well. The rendering doesn't look any deeper....but I understand it is just a rendering.

 

[NAIB Volunteer]

The main issue is the weight from the exhibit from what colleagues have discussed. The foundation would first need to be rebuilt or reinforced. The current exhibit was originally intended to be temporary, but because of the popularity, it was kept. A bigger and better penguin exhibit at Monterey has been talked about for years and years now.

 

[SwampDonkey]

The main issue is the weight from the exhibit from what colleagues have discussed. The foundation would first need to be rebuilt or reinforced. The current exhibit was originally intended to be temporary, but because of the popularity, it was kept. A bigger and better penguin exhibit at Monterey has been talked about for years and years now.

That makes a lot of sense. Isn't it basically above the aviary and ray area?

 

[NAIB Volunteer]

That makes a lot of sense. Isn't it basically above the aviary and ray area?

More so over the Monterey Bay exhibit with all the sharks, but portions are above the aviary. Any expansion upstairs of the penguins would most likely disturb/ temporarily remove the aviary/ touch pool.

Someone mentioned in the forum to build out more to the left, but that's impractical as the access point for the shark exhibit is right beside the penguins and there needs to be some sort of clearance.

 

[John Marchwick]

That is literally what I thought, it was definitely the only "miss" at the aquarium and stood out as oddly shallow.

It sounds like they are just adding some on either side and re-designing it a little from the outside visitor area as well. The rendering doesn't look any deeper....but I understand it is just a rendering.

I kind of wonder is it possible the Monterey Bay Aquarium could be putting their African Penguins with other animals like the San Diego Zoo did? I know this hasn’t been confirmed but what are the likelihoods of that to occur?

 

[NAIB Volunteer]

I kind of wonder is it possible the Monterey Bay Aquarium could be putting their African Penguins with other animals like the San Diego Zoo did? I know this hasn’t been confirmed but what are the likelihoods of that to occur?

There are already live urchins and sea stars in the exhibit currently, so I'd imagine that would continue. Cal Academy has pajama sharks and sea stars with their penguins as well.

 

[CMP]

Cal Academy has pajama sharks

If they really are still in there, they do a good job of staying hidden...

That is literally what I thought, it was definitely the only "miss" at the aquarium and stood out as oddly shallow.

It sounds like they are just adding some on either side and re-designing it a little from the outside visitor area as well. The rendering doesn't look any deeper....but I understand it is just a rendering.

This rendering does look like it might interfere with the sea slug or lobster/moray tanks, although they might be able to fit it in as there was some empty space up there. I really liked the seemingly random assortment of small tanks near this area, more than I thought I would (Probably because of the interesting inhabitants like leaping blennies and clingfish), so I'd hate to see too much of it removed for an animal as ABC as African Penguins. Their exhibit could be nicer, though and CAS definitely has a better IMO.

 

[lintworm]

It seems a pity they keep themselves attached to penguins, even when it is clear they will never get a great enclosure (and why all indoors...). Penguins are so far removed from the core strength of Monterey, which seem to be the native pacific habitats. It seems so much better thematically and animal wise to just send them away... Zoos with balls go out of elephants because they cannot afford a good enclosure, why doesn't Monterey show balls and kick out the penguins....

 

[StoppableSan]

It seems a pity they keep themselves attached to penguins, even when it is clear they will never get a great enclosure (and why all indoors...). Penguins are so far removed from the core strength of Monterey, which seem to be the native pacific habitats. It seems so much better thematically and animal wise to just send them away... Zoos with balls go out of elephants because they cannot afford a good enclosure, why doesn't Monterey show balls and kick out the penguins....

Penguins make money. That's the short of it.

 

[Great Argus]

It seems a pity they keep themselves attached to penguins, even when it is clear they will never get a great enclosure (and why all indoors...). Penguins are so far removed from the core strength of Monterey, which seem to be the native pacific habitats. It seems so much better thematically and animal wise to just send them away... Zoos with balls go out of elephants because they cannot afford a good enclosure, why doesn't Monterey show balls and kick out the penguins....

I'm sure it's only because of money, it's been stated the exhibit was intended to be temporary and they ended up staying because of popularity. Whenever I've visited it's always really crowded by their exhibit and you typically have to be a little pushy to get a decent look. The aquarium definitely markets them pretty heavily as well, I see them frequently on their socials.
I agree with you though they're kind of an oddball, both overall for the aquarium and anchoring the Splash Zone area that's your average reef exhibits and what not. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to them shipping out the penguins and after some renovations putting the alcids in there instead.

 

[StoppableSan]

I'm sure it's only because of money, it's been stated the exhibit was intended to be temporary and they ended up staying because of popularity. Whenever I've visited it's always really crowded by their exhibit and you typically have to be a little pushy to get a decent look. The aquarium definitely markets them pretty heavily as well, I see them frequently on their socials.
I agree with you though they're kind of an oddball, both overall for the aquarium and anchoring the Splash Zone area that's your average reef exhibits and what not. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to them shipping out the penguins and after some renovations putting the alcids in there instead.

They already have a puffin exhibit near the Open Sea tank.

 

[Great Argus]

They already have a puffin exhibit near the Open Sea tank.

The rectangular box, yes. The auks really got short-changed with that one; easily least favorite of the alcid exhibits I've seen. Hence my stating I wouldn't be against the penguins leaving and giving their exhibits to the auks.

 

[lintworm]

Penguins make money. That's the short of it.

How much money do they really make. I am sure they are popular, but is there a meaningful number of people who would only visit if they have penguins, I guess not... Zoos with elephants are also always afraid to lose visitors if the elephants leave (just watch how Antwerp is clinging to their elephants). But in practice that doesn't happen... Zoos like Nuremberg and Rostock had record attendances after the elephants left. You need enough other star animals/enclosures to get on and that is something Monterey really doesn't lack.

If you then have a substandard enclosure that even after difficult renovations is still not really great and at the same time have a subpar Alcid enclosure. Would it not make more sense from a vision and animal welfare perspective to make sure the alcids, which fit the general theme of the aquarium. Subpar exhibits for crowd-pleasers really don't fit in world class aquariums...

 

[Ebirah766]

If they really are still in there, they do a good job of staying hidden...

This rendering does look like it might interfere with the sea slug or lobster/moray tanks, although they might be able to fit it in as there was some empty space up there. I really liked the seemingly random assortment of small tanks near this area, more than I thought I would (Probably because of the interesting inhabitants like leaping blennies and clingfish), so I'd hate to see too much of it removed for an animal as ABC as African Penguins. Their exhibit could be nicer, though and CAS definitely has a better IMO.

That would be a huge loss, as MBA are one of the only American holders of these species.

 

[Adventuredl]

An easier solution would be to switch to little blue penguins and renovate the current space. They are smaller and take up less space.