Moody Gardens is excited to announce the hatching of a new king penguin chick, a rare and adorable addition to its penguin colony. The chick hatched on January 26, 2026 weighing just 216 grams at birth and already thriving!
The new king penguin chick was born to parents Watt (named after former Houston Texans star JJ Watt) and Astro (a nod to the Houston Astros). Dad has been on dedicated watch duty right in the alcove, with mom staying close by — a heartwarming display of the attentive parenting king penguins are known for.
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Like all king penguin chicks, the newest Moody Gardens arrival was born largely bald, with just a tuft of fuzzy down on its head. Over the next two to three weeks, it will develop a full coat of soft down feathers — and visitors can watch every fluffy milestone unfold.
King penguins are the second-largest penguin species in the world, native to sub-Antarctic islands like South Georgia Island — the very habitat that inspired the design of the Moody Gardens penguin exhibit. The exhibit recreates the rocks, grasses, and ice flows of this remote island environment, right here on Galveston Island.
While king penguins are currently listed as Least Concern in the wild, they still face real threats from pollution, plastic waste, oil spills, and other environmental hazards. Breeding programs at accredited facilities like Moody Gardens play a vital role in maintaining healthy populations in human care and raising public awareness about penguin conservation.
That's still to be determined! Staff are waiting on DNA test results to confirm the chick's gender before selecting a name. Possibilities are being inspired by sports, local Texas culture, and the memorable Winter Storm Fern that marked its arrival. Stay tuned to Moody Gardens' social channels for the big name reveal.
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Not every zoo or aquarium earns the right to display the AZA badge — and that distinction matters. Moody Gardens is one of only about 10 facilities in all of Texas to hold Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) accreditation, placing it among fewer than 10% of the roughly 2,800 USDA-licensed animal exhibitors across the country who have earned this prestigious recognition.
The accreditation process is rigorous by design — involving an extensive written application, a multi-day on-site inspection by independent zoological experts, and a formal hearing before the AZA Accreditation Commission. The process alone can take a year or more to complete.
Crucially, there's no such thing as simply renewing AZA accreditation. Every five years, facilities must start the entire process from scratch. Standards are continuously raised as the science of animal care evolves, meaning Moody Gardens must earn its accreditation again and again — and it does. That ongoing commitment is what makes the successful hatching of a king penguin chick here not just exciting, but meaningful: it's the direct result of world-class animal care and expertise.
The king penguin chick is already thriving in the penguin exhibit, and there's no better time to visit. You can also watch live webcam footage of the colony on our Penguin Webcam page of MoodyGardens.org!
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Moody Gardens® is a public, non-profit, educational destination in Galveston, Texas, dedicated to rehabilitation, conservation, recreation, and research. Plan your visit today and come say hello to the newest — and arguably cutest — resident on the Island.
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