African Penguins Arrive as Part of the Largest Expansion in Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach’s 20-year History!

Myrtle Beach, SC (March 10, 2020) – Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach is excited to announce Ripley’s Penguin Playhouse is now open!

The 5,500-square-foot expansion is the largest in Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach’s 20-year history. The African penguin habitat has floor-to-ceiling viewing glass and a 360-degree crawl tunnel for guests to waddle through. This addition also includes a brand-new Ocean Wonders gallery housing fascinating species of fish from all over the world.

Sporting their black-and-white plumage, the African penguin is the only species of penguin found on the African continent, preferring warmer water temperatures unlike their Antarctic counterparts. Their unique black stripes and spots serve as their identification, similar to a human fingerprint.

The African penguin is one of the most endangered penguins in the world—numbers have declined by 60 percent in the last 28 years. Welcoming Ripley’s new colony in 2020 is just the beginning of the Aquarium’s conservation efforts, as an on-site penguin nursery will house and care for baby penguins, helping Ripley’s Aquarium foster a growing flock.

Ripley’s expansion features two new state-of-the-art classrooms for educational programs, school groups, and unique experiences that will allow guests to get up close and personal with these extraordinary birds.

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

Penguin Encounters – Interact—and even pet—Ripley’s most adorable creatures beak-to-beak while learning about this species from Aquarium staff experts.

Paint with the Penguins – Pal up with a penguin to create—and take home—a one-of-a-kind piece of footprint art!

“We are beyond excited to welcome African Black Footed penguins to Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach. This brand-new and completely immersive penguin habitat will not only captivate and entertain our guests but also provide an educational experience for our visitors. We know this new penguin addition will support our educational and conservation missions while offering family-friendly entertainment for visitors of all ages,” said Pablo Chavez, General Manager, Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach.

SAVAGE SEAS!

Tales of adventure, myth, and ruin, this temporary, pop-up exhibit is officially open just in time for guests to enjoy alongside the all-new Penguin Playhouse.

Savage Seas is an all-new exhibit, where guests learn life at sea isn’t for everyone! Find out what it takes to survive on the open waters when you explore this interactive exhibit.

Learn about daily pirate life, sea monsters from myth and lore, and the very true stories of shipwrecks filled with treasure and secrets of the past.

Ripley’s Aquarium is located at 110 Celebrity Circle at Broadway at the Beach and is open 365 days a year.

For media images and video, please click here.

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MEDIA CONTACTS
Pablo Chavez
General Manager
Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach
Pchavez@ripleys.com
Office: 843-424-4590

Suzanne Smagala-Potts
Public Relations Manager
Ripley Entertainment
smagala@ripleys.com
Office: 407-345-8010 Cell: 727-439-0136

About Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach
Ripley’s Aquarium opened in Myrtle Beach in 1997 and boasts more than 14,000 fish on display as well as many interactive experiences. Guests can pet a stingray, bamboo shark, hold a horseshoe crab, and enjoy hourly dive shows. One featured exhibit is the 750,000-gallon Dangerous Reef, which has a 330-foot glidepath through an underwater tunnel, allowing guests to come face-to-face with sharks, giant sawfish, and Gabby the Green Sea Turtle.Ripley’s Aquariums are part of the Ripley Entertainment Inc. (www.ripleys.com) family of worldwide attractions, the global leader in location-based entertainment. More than 15 million people visit its 100-plus attractions in 11 countries each year.  In addition to its three world-renowned aquariums and 31 Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, the Orlando, Florida-based company has publishing, licensing and broadcast divisions that oversee projects including the syndicated Believe It or Not! Television show, best-selling books and the popular syndicated cartoon strip, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, that still runs daily in countries around the world. Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Company, the second-largest privately held company in Canada. Learn more about Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach by visiting RipleyAquariums.com/MyrtleBeach and following them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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“The new baby brother penguins are Benny Hill born on February 17 weighing in at 52 grams and Falkor born on February 21 weighing in at 62 grams. The proud parents are Maggie and Atreyu. The Ripley Husbandry Team is monitoring them around the clock,” said Megan Klose, senior aviculturist of Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.

View footage of the penguins here!

African penguins are considered “Endangered” which means they are facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. Major reasons include depletion of their food from overfishing and pollution. Since 1930, the African Penguin population has dropped from an estimated one million to 55,000.

World Penguin Day is a day when penguins are honored across the world and is one of 2 days dedicated to adorable penguins along with January 20 which is Penguin Awareness Day and October 8 which is African Penguin Awareness Day

“What a great day to honor our new baby penguins on World Penguin Day.” said Ryan DeSear, general manager of Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.

In 2010, Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies added African Black-Footed Penguins as a part of its $5 million Ripley’s Penguin Playhouse.

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies continues their efforts and support of the African Black footed Penguin as a part of the Species Survival Plan of the Association of the Zoos and Aquariums. They also support (SANCCOB) the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, which is a non-profit seabird rehabilitation center that helps rebuild habitats in South Africa.

Penguin Artwork can be purchased in the Cargo Hold Gift shop at Ripley Aquarium of the Smokies. 50% of the money from the sales of the artwork is donated to SANCCOB. For more information on SANCCOB go to: www.sanccob.co.za.

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, the second most visited attraction in Tennessee, has been voted Number one Aquarium in the nation by USA Today 10Best.com., one of the Top 5 Aquariums in the USA & the world by TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice in 2014 & 2015, Top Destination to See Penguins by USA Today and Forbes Traveler named it one of the America’s Best Aquariums. Thousands of exotic sea creatures live in its 1.4 million gallons of water. The aquarium is known for its amazing shark exhibit that features 11-foot sharks and one of the most spectacular underwater tunnels in the world.

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies and Ripley’s Attractions in Tennessee are owned by Ripley Entertainment Inc., keepers of the venerable Ripley’s Believe It or Not!  Brand and global leader in location-based family entertainment. More than 13 million guests visit its 95 worldwide attractions in 11 countries annually. The Orlando-based company also has divisions that oversee publishing, licensing, and broadcast operations. Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Group Company, the second-largest privately held company in Canada.

The aquarium is located at traffic light #5 on the Parkway in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and is open 365 days a year. For information: call 888-240-1358 or see us on the web at www.ripleysaquariumofthesmokies.com

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