Votes are in: Meet 'Cantuta,' the Aquarium of Niagara's Humboldt penguin

New name pays homage to species’ Peruvian heritage 

Aquarium of Niagara Press Release & Photos

The public has spoken, and the Aquarium of Niagara’s 24th successfully reared penguin chick is named “Cantuta.”

The cantuta (Cantua buxifolia), otherwise known as the sacred flower of the Incas or the Peruvian magic tree, is the national flower of Peru, where native Humboldt penguins can be found in their natural environment. The name also pays homage to the chick’s great-grandmother, “Rosebud,” who hatched at the Aquarium of Niagara in the 1990s.

Cantuta (Image courtesy of the Aquarium of Niagara)

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The name selection follows a two-week period of public voting, during which anyone could pay $1 per vote to select their favorite of three candidates: “Cantuta,” “Machu” and “Sesenta.”

Cantuta received more than half of the nearly 700 votes submitted.

The Aquarium of Niagara received votes from across the U.S. Money raised will support the ongoing care of Cantuta and the venue’s 13 adult penguins.

Cantuta hatched at the Aquarium of Niagara last month and is currently being cared for by its parents, PJ Jr. and Blanca, in their nest within the Penguin Coast habitat. This is the fifth chick for the bonded pair, who arrived from Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo in 2019. The pair successfully raised Smitty and Jules in 2020 and Cusco and P.T. in 2022.

Cantuta is not currently viewable from the public gallery, so fans are encouraged to follow the Aquarium of Niagara’s social media channels and sign up for the organization’s weekly email newsletter to receive updates. As the chick grows bigger and bolder, visitors may catch a glimpse of it exploring the entrance to the nest box. 

Cantuta (Image courtesy of the Aquarium of Niagara)

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The Aquarium of Niagara is a nonprofit organization and public aquarium located in Niagara Falls. As the only aquatic museum in the region, it serves the community as a nexus for explorative learning by celebrating natural wonders and inspiring people to make a difference for aquatic life. The campus is comprised of two distinct buildings housing 180 different species, including several that were rescued and deemed unable to return to the wild.

The Aquarium of Niagara is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Alliance for Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums, and the International Marine Mammal Trainer’s Association. For more information, visit aquariumofniagara.org.