Azulito the Little Blue Penguin (2014-2024)
Obituary
Azulito died at nearly 11 years old at the Birch Aquarium in La Jolla, CA.
Azulito, a ten-year-old Little Blue Penguin, died on August 8, 2024 at Birch Aquarium of suspected natural causes, likely due to his old age.
Azulito was originally from Australia and was sent to the Birch Aquarium (part of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography) back in 2021. Little Penguins are native to Australia and New Zealand, a far cry from La Jolla, CA. These birds typically live in colonies and, as foragers, feed on a highly varied diet, including krill, jellyfish, and sardines.
Little Blue Penguins held in aquariums like Azulito can’t experience the natural foraging areas they’d explore in the wild. They live in US aquariums as mere living attractions for visitors.
World Animal Protection urges those who love penguins to avoid zoos and aquariums and to instead enjoy them in the wild or at sanctuaries.
