FAQ

• Since they are in captivity do they lay eggs and have little ones?

  Yes – We have had 5 Gentoo penguin chicks hatch since we opened the exhibit in 2013. The Kings have not laid eggs yet, but if they do we will let them hatch them out as well.

• What is the temperature in the enclosure?

  The air and water are both kept at 45° F.

• How often/much do you feed the penguins?

  They are fed twice per day and they get to eat as much as they want.

• Do the penguins have names?

  Yes – All of the penguins have names, and we can tell them apart by the bands they wear on their wings. I am not sure how good the definition is on the camera but some of the penguins have bands that have their names written on them.

• What penguin species do you have?

  King, Gentoo in this exhibit and Humboldt in our indoor/outdoor exhibit.

• How many penguins do you have?

  We currently have 16 King penguins and 38 Gentoo penguins in the exhibit you can see on the web cam. We also have 19 Humboldt penguins that live in a different exhibit.

• How much space does one penguin need?

  Penguins actually live in very large groups in the wild. They like to live together in close quarters, but need space to swim, nest, and rest, all of which we have at the Kansas City Zoo.

• There is a penguin that looks like it has has a hole in is stomach…what is that?

  That is Elvis one of our King Penguins. He wears the feathers in that spot down every year. We believe it is from him rubbing his belly on the ramps as he gets out of our pools. He tends to be one of our chunkier penguins.