Help name the baby penguin
- Cheré Dastugue Coen
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
Missouri's Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium has a new Gentoo penguin chick!
Proud parents Dora and Weddell welcomed their baby Gentoo penguin chick on July 19, 2026, to Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium (WOW) in Springfield, Mo. Mom is doing fine while the aquarium’s animal care team continues to care for the chick and monitor its development.
Now, comes the public’s assistance.
The aquarium, part of the Johnny Morris Conservation Foundation attractions, is asking for the public's help in naming the new bundle of joy. Voting will take place now through Sept. 8, 2026. and, as a thank you, everyone who participates will receive $5 off a General Admission ticket to WOW.
Name options include:
Mumbles
Icicle
Blizzard
Pebble
Waddle
Bleaker
Those who wish to cast a vote can visit VisitOzarks.com
The age range of Wonders of Wildlife’s gentoo penguin habitat ranges from a couple of weeks old to Reese, who was feted on her 33rd birthday in June and presented with a fish cake to mark her hatch date. Gentoo penguins, native to the Antarctic Peninsula and various sub-Antarctic regions, typically live just 15-20 years.
Here are some fun facts about the adventurous lives of gentoo penguins:
They're the fastest swimming penguins. Gentoo penguins can reach speeds of up to 22 miles per hour (36 km/h) underwater.
You can spot them by their bright orange beaks. They also have a distinctive white stripe that stretches like a bonnet across the top of their heads.
They don't live only in Antarctica. Gentoo penguins are found on the Antarctic Peninsula and several sub-Antarctic islands, including the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Shetland Islands.
They're expert nest builders. Gentoo penguins build nests from stones, and pebbles are so valuable that penguins have even been observed "stealing" them from neighboring nests.
Reese is an exceptional gentoo. In the wild, gentoo penguins typically live 15–20 years, making Reese's 33 years an extraordinary milestone.
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