Penguin Beach

Penguin Beach recreates a South American beach landscape in the heart of London, with stunning colony of Humboldt penguins (and one speical Rockhopper).

The new exhibit features a large pool with stunning underwater viewing areas so you can see how our flippered friends fly under water. The exhibit’s 1200 sq metre pool holds 450,000 litres of water!

Our large demonstration area turns feeding time in to an even bigger spectacle than before. Penguin Beach Live will feature twice daily feeds where visitors can watch the birds diving for their food.

Penguin Beach is a breeding facility for colonies of Humboldt penguins with a special penguin nursery, including a chick incubation unit and a pool where the youngsters can learn how to swim.

Penguin Facts

Humboldt penguins love cleaning (preening) themselves and their friends. When preening they gather oil from a gland in their tail and then apply this to their feathers – like penguin hair gel!

Humboldt penguins never chew with their mouth open because they don’t chew at all! Instead our penguins swallow their fish head first.

A Humboldt penguin can reach up to 30 miles per hour in the water!

Unlike other penguins, Rockhopper penguins prefer hopping to waddling. You can see Ricky bounding over rocks at Penguin Beach.