Humboldt penguin Smitty moving on from Aquarium of Niagara after helping define decade of change

Smitty to begin new chapter; heading to Pittsburgh to support his species

Aquarium of Niagara Press Release & Photos

A notable penguin who made headlines five years ago as one of the first penguins to hatch at the Aquarium of Niagara in more than a decade is preparing for an exciting new chapter. Smitty, a Humboldt penguin who hatched in April 2020 alongside his sister, Jules, is moving to the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium as part of a coordinated effort among accredited zoos and aquariums to protect vulnerable species and maintain genetically diverse populations under human care.

Smitty’s selection for this important role comes from a panel of experts tasked with managing the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan for Humboldt penguins, a species classified as vulnerable to extinction on the IUCN Red List. He will soon join a newly established colony of 13 penguins at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, which made its public debut in July 2025. There’s hope that he will soon produce offspring of his own.

Smitty is a symbol of the Aquarium of Niagara's recent transformation, and his 2020 hatching signaled the success of the venue’s reinvestment in animal well-being, brought to life through a $3.5 million penguin exhibit upgrade and successful accreditation by the AZA in 2018. Since then, the Aquarium of Niagara has invested an additional $12 million in capital improvements and has played a growing role in collective conservation efforts.

“Watching Smitty grow up here has been a joy for our staff and guests alike,” said Chad Fifer, president and CEO of the Aquarium of Niagara. “His hatching was a turning point for our organization, and his departure is a powerful reminder of why this work matters. While we’ll miss him, we know his journey is part of something much bigger, and we’re proud of our role in his story.”

Smitty with Aquarium of Niagara staffers. (Photo credit: Aquarium of Niagara)

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Humboldt penguins are native to the rocky coasts of Chile and Peru, where their populations face threats from unsustainable fishing, guano harvesting, and climate-driven disruptions to the Humboldt Current, particularly during increasingly frequent El Niño events.

In addition to Humboldt penguins, accredited zoos and aquariums work together to preserve more than 800 vulnerable and endangered species facing threats in their native environments through breeding, research, public education and field conservation work.

“We at Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium are very excited to have ‘Smitty’ joining our group,” said Dr. Chris Bonar, vice president of living collections. “It’s been a real privilege to put together a colony of these charming and interesting birds, and Smitty will be a great addition to our colony. We are very grateful to the Aquarium of Niagara for making Smitty available to us. I’m sure that they will miss him, but we are fortunate to have him joining us here in Pittsburgh!”

To celebrate Smitty and give the community a chance to say goodbye, the Aquarium of Niagara will host a “So Long, Smitty” send-off event Friday, Oct. 3, through Monday, Oct. 6. Each day, the first 50 children will receive penguin-themed swag bags. Guests are invited to take photos, enjoy archival footage of Smitty through the years, and purchase limited-edition merchandise, including original penguin art created by Smitty himself.