Tag: Penguins

Happy Birthday, Wagner, the Oldest Chinstrap Penguin in North America!

December 16, 2015 / / 1 Comment

Some people think that age is just a number but at Moody Gardens it is something to celebrate, especially when one of our animals has a milestone birthday!

Wagner is one of 15 chinstrap penguins that we have in our Aquarium Pyramid® and she is the oldest of her species in all of North America! Wagner is turning 32 today which is big deal not only because she is the oldest penguin on this continent but because the general lifespan of her species is only in the mid-twenties.

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While living in our South Atlantic Exhibit Wagner generally enjoys spending her time swimming but on her birthday we planned a little something extra. Wagner was presented with a special ice sculpture modeled after the Aquarium Pyramid® that she lives in and she seems to know that it was all about her today. She is typically more aloof. Today, she was frolicking in the water and interacting more and seemed to enjoy her birthday party. The children outside the exhibit also enjoyed her party, as they sang Happy Birthday to Wagner. Please join us in wishing Wagner a very happy 32nd birthday and send her a congratulatory message on being the oldest chinstrap penguin in North America!

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Also be sure to see Wagner in person before the penguin exhibit temporarily closes from January 11-March 11 as part of the aquarium renovations. (Don’t worry though; the rest of the aquarium exhibits will still be open during this time.) Before the penguins go on hiatus there is still time to come visit our South Atlantic friends! You can get up close to our penguins as part of the Moody Gardens Public Penguin Encounter. The encounter lasts for 45-minutes and allows you to get up close to one of our penguins like Wagner. During your experience you are led by a Moody Gardens biologist from the front of the exhibit to behind the scenes of the penguin food preparation kitchen and then to the back of the chilly penguin exhibit. This is all while discussing penguin biology, conservation, training, enrichment and care with your Moody Gardens biologist.

Come experience the cool climate and sounds of the exhibit and witness a penguin create a work of art with a penguin painting as part of an enrichment activity for the animal! More information on the Moody Gardens Public Penguin Encounter can be found here. You can even purchase a penguin painting in our Aquarium Gift Shop. Proceeds from the painting go toward animal conservation projects. It’s a very unique gift for the animal lover in your life!

For more information, click here.

MG Sweetheart Scavenger Hunt!

February 9, 2015 / / 0 Comments

With its peaceful foliage in the Rainforest Pyramid and beautiful marine life in the Aquarium Pyramid, Moody Gardens is a great place to spend this Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart or family.

VDAY_ScavengerHunt_2015While you are at Moody Gardens, you can participate in the Sweetheart Scavenger Hunt. Learn about the intricate relationships and courtships that take place in the animal kingdom with this scavenger hunt. And best of all, you could earn a family 4-pack of Moody Gardens tickets by participating.

Here are some of the facts you will learn while participating in the scavenger hunt:

  • Humans aren’t the only ones that give presents when they are wooing a lady. Male penguins give their potential love interests a pebble. They search for the smoothest rock, and if the female accepts, she puts it in her nest and parenthood soon follows.
  • When piranhas find themselves in love, they turn almost completely black to discourage others from courting. Think of it as a clear sign of “Hey, I’m taken.”
  • Some women wish men would experience the ups and downs of pregnancy. In the seahorse kingdom that’s exactly what happens, as the male delivers the babies. Scientists aren’t 100 percent sure why it occurs – maybe it is to help make more babies or just share some of the load from females – but it certainly is one of the most unique relationships under the sea.
  • A scarlet ibis believes in true love. When a male successful woes a female, they will remain partners for life.
  • Harbor seals flirt by rolling and bubble-blowing. You can read about our Moody Gardens harbor seal couple, Porter and Presley, here.

Learn about these and the other animals at Moody Gardens when you visit on Valentine’s Day weekend. Be sure to download the Sweetheart Scavenger Hunt and get your cameras ready to win a great prize!

And don’t forget to dive into a romantic underwater dining experience at the Aquarium Pyramid with the Sea of Love Valentine’s Dinner on Feb. 13 or 14.

Enjoy a special menu created exclusively for the Sea of Love Dinner. You can reserve a table with a view of one of the unique locations throughout the Aquarium Pyramid.

Dinner for two is $140 on Friday and $180 on Saturday. It also includes rose for her, souvenir photo and Aquarium Pyramid admission. Saturday’s dinner also includes a bottle of wine or champagne. Biologists will also be in attendance to answer any questions you may have about the spectacular residents of the Aquarium Pyramid.

To reserve your spot, please call 1-800-582-4673 ext. 4368. Reservations are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Calls will be answered and returned daily. RSVP by February 11. Click here for menus.

Moody Madness: Sweet 16

March 25, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Sweet Sixteen : March 25-27

Just like the first weekend of the college basketball tournament, the first round of the Moody Madness bracket had some thrilling contests. Some of the match-ups came down to the wire in the tournament to determine the most popular animal at Moody Gardens.

Here are the results from Round 1:

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Now it’s on to the Sweet Sixteen where the competition steps up a notch. Don’t let your favorite fall short of the Elite Eight. Be sure to vote to this exciting tournament!

CLICK HERE to vote or vote below for the Rainforest Pyramid animals and make sure to click Next when you’re done at the bottom to vote for the Aquarium Pyramid animals on the second page.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world’s leading questionnaire tool.

Watt – The Tough Penguin at Moody Gardens

May 29, 2013 /

The toughest penguin at Moody Gardens is growing into a big guy just like his namesake.

Watt, a King Penguin named after Houston Texans star J.J. Watt, has already grown to around 3-feet tall and 30 pounds in just 2 ½ months.

Watt absolutely loves fish, which has helped him grow so big in such a short about of time. He is a curious little guy, but his dad still watches over him. He’s definitely not ready for his son to be exploring on his own.

Watt suffered a cut on his back shortly after breaking out of his shell. Under the care of Moody Gardens biologists, Watt proved he was one tough chick and made a quick recovery. Now he is on exhibit joining the nearly 100 penguins housed in the Aquarium Pyramid

J.J. Watt is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year and one of the most popular athletes in Houston.

Come see Watt and the other penguins at the Moody Gardens Aquarium Pyramid. The Aquarium is currently open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Cool Fun at Moody Gardens: Penguin Encounter

November 15, 2012 / / 3 Comments

Get to know the penguin residents at Moody Gardens. With the Penguin Encounter program, you will get the opportunity to get up close with the penguins and see what goes on behind the scenes! Here are valuable facts about the Penguin Encounter:

 

  • The program lasts for 45 minutes
  •  Guests start at the front of the exhibit and move on to see the back of the exhibit and the penguin food preparation kitchen
  •  A Moody Gardens biologist will teach you about penguin biology, training, enrichment, and care
  •  Guests get to watch a penguin create art as part of an enrichment activity
  •  Tickets are $50 a person
  •  Children 3 and under are free
  •  Tickets are sold on a first come, first serve basis
  •  Guests must also purchase admission to the *Aquarium Pyramid
  •  Children 12 and under must be with an adult
  •  The program is at 1 pm on Saturdays and Sundays
  •  Depending on the mood of the penguin, you may be able to touch them!
  •  It’s about 45 degrees in the Penguin Encounter area, so dress accordingly
  •  The penguins love to pose for your pictures

 

Private Penguin Encounters are also available for up to four people. Private encounters can be scheduled based upon guest’s convenience and availability. Admission is $350 per group and includes admission to the Aquarium Pyramid, and a unique piece of penguin art.

 

The Seal and Penguin Experience shows guests what it’s like to be a South Atlantic and North Pacific exhibit keeper for a day. The experience is six hours long and allows various activities such as feeding penguins, and helping out the biologists. The $175 (per person) package includes admission to the Aquarium Pyramid, lunch, a photograph, and a unique piece of penguin art. Participants must be 16 years or older and a maximum of three participants. Be sure to wear closed toe shoes, comfortable clothes, and reserve your package two weeks in advance.

 

Moody Gardens is the number one place this season for holiday events in Galveston. Join us for more kids activities and family fun. Be sure to keep up with our Moody Gardens blog to learn more about Houston holiday events, the Moody Gardens Hotel, and the Moody Gardens Golf Course!

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