Our feathered family just got bigger! Please welcome African penguins Flippy and Jaime, and rockhopper penguin Jasmin to the Two Oceans Aquarium.

All three of these penguins were brought to the Aquarium after being rescued on the coast of the Southern Cape and receiving long-term care at Tenikwa Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Although all three of these penguins have been nursed back to health by the diligent care of Tenikwa, and later SANCCOB, none of them are candidates for release, unfortunately.

Jasmin is a young rockhopper penguin that was stranded near Plettenberg Bay. Rockhoppers originate from many parts of the world but Jasmin is most likely a member of one of the nearby colonies on Gough, Marion and Prince Edward Islands about 2 000km off the South African coast. Because Jasmin was exposed to unfamiliar pathogens in our mainland waters, returning her to one of these islands would pose a significant risk to the native birdlife there.

Flippy and Jaime are African penguins that had been in long-long term care at Tenikwa after being rescued by locals in the area. Flippy had been attacked by an ocean predator, possibly a seal, and although she is now healed she still only has half a left flipper. Jaime underwent an extensive recovery after being affected by illness and has now also made a full recovery. Because of the extent of their care, both Flippy and Jaime became habituated to humans and have become dependant on humans for food, so are unlikely to be able to survive in the wild.

We would like to thank Tenikwa for the care they took in saving the lives of these precious birds, and SANCCOB who, once again, has been of incredible service to the Two Oceans Aquarium by quarantining these penguins and ensuring that both them and the penguins already at the Aquarium remain in ideal health.

Flippy, Jasmin and Jaime are now calling the Penguin Exhibit of the Two Oceans Aquarium home and are already fitting right in. Jasmin has stolen the hearts of her carers, and is making Miss Harold Custard and the northern rockhoppers rather jealous! Flippy has shown that having half a flipper can't hold her back, even escaping from the temporary enclosure we built for the new penguins on the day of their arrival. And Jaime seems to have a suitor - could Aya the bachelor finally have met his mate?

Be sure to visit our penguin family!