Penguins are the last thing we would imagine seeing in Mumbai. But the city’s famous Byculla Zoo has become home to one of the largest Humboldt penguin colonies in India. The penguin colony at Mumbai’s Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo has continued to grow over the years. Read on to know more!
Mumbai’s Byculla Zoo Welcomes Four New Penguin Chicks
Mumbai’s Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo has been home to Humboldt penguins. Now, the good news is that their number has increased from 21 to 25. Tmes of India reported that as per zoo officials, the four penguin chicks born over the past year are healthy. The officials have now officially added them to the public count.
Authorities decided to keep the chicks’ births private until they were sure the birds were stable. The first chick, a male named Pikachu, was born in October 2025, followed by a female chick, Lily, in January 2026. Two more chicks, Leo and Bella, were born in February 2026.
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More About These New Penguin Chicks
As per zoo officials, the penguin couples Donald and Daisy welcomed Pikachu, Leo and Bella, while Popeye and Olive became parents to Lily. With the increase in penguin numbers, the authorities are now planning an expansion.
The current penguin home covers around 2,000 square feet. But with the penguin family growing, the zoo is planning to make it bigger. The expanded space will cover nearly 3,000 square feet and can comfortably house up to 40 penguins. Work on the new section has already started.
Till the expansion work continues, the authorities will move all 25 penguins to the zoo’s quarantine facility for about two to three months.
As the penguin family keeps growing, zoo officials reached out to several zoos across India to see if they would like to take some of the birds. They first suggested animal exchanges and later even offered the penguins as donations. However, no zoo has shown much interest so far.
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Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/John Clift
FAQs
Which Mumbai Zoo is home to Humboldt penguin colonies?
You can find the largest Humboldt penguin colonies in Mumbai's Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo.