06/09/2026
The Racine Zoo is profoundly saddened to announce the recent passing of Nelson, the African penguin. Since his birth at the Racine Zoo in 2021, Nelson has held a special place in his keeper’s hearts for his truly special personality. He was also a favorite among guests, and was one of our most recognizable penguins, easily identifiable by his orange band and his distinct hunched back.
Nelson was born at the Racine Zoo on March 6, 2021, and recently celebrated his 5th birthday. His birth, along with the births of his siblings in prior and subsequent years, marked a major achievement for our animal care team. As a critically endangered species, every African penguin birth plays an important role in the conservation of the species. Shortly after Nelson’s birth, he was joined by his twin brother, Ozzy, who hatched just two days later. The two of them together were a sweet yet chaotic pair, with both seeking love, attention, and trouble. Watching the two of them grow up together was a joyful and special experience for our keepers. Nelson and Ozzy continued to recognize each other as brothers even as they grew into adulthood, and although they occasionally had their disagreements like most brothers do, they always had each other’s backs.
Nelson’s bright, happy, and mischievous personality was prominent within the penguin colony. He loved his keepers as much as they loved him and formed more of a bonded relationship with his keepers than any of the other penguins. He was a bit of a flirt with our keepers, clinging to their shoes, responding to scratches with his own “preening” of our keepers’ fingers, and headshaking at our keepers, which is a common courtship and pair-bonding behavior. He loved to swim with the rest of the group in the mornings and always enjoyed being a bit pesky with his siblings no matter the time of day. He also loved to cause trouble with those not related to him within the penguin colony, typically finding enjoyment in seeing just how close he could encroach on someone’s territory before they noticed. He also loved playing with toys and enrichment, especially boat buoy toys, which he loved to lay on top of.
Although Nelson’s personality shone brightly, he did not always have it the easiest compared to the other penguins. When Nelson was just a chick, he developed a spinal infection that impacted the growth of his spine and resulted in a hunched-over posture. After much medical intervention, Nelson was cured of the spinal infection; however, the shape of his spine was permanent. Although he looked a bit different than our other penguins, Nelson was able to do everything a normal penguin would, and we continued to ensure he was living his most happy, healthy, and comfortable life through continued special veterinary care, such as acupuncture treatments.
Unfortunately, animal care staff recently began to observe changes in Nelson’s demeanor, behavior, and appetite that indicated that something was wrong. Follow up exams confirmed what we feared. Nelson was suffering from a terminal illness. With considerations for Nelson’s quality of life and declining condition, the heartbreaking and difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize Nelson on June 3, 2026. Nelson passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving animal care team who will remember this special boy forever. He will be dearly missed by all those who had the privilege to know him.
African penguins are the only species of penguins to live in Africa, living along the coast of South Africa. The typical lifespan for African penguins is 15-20 years in the wild, 20-30 years or longer in human care. They are a critically endangered species, facing threats such as climate change, habitat loss, overfishing, and oil spills. The SSP (Species Survival Plan) works to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse population of numerous endangered species, including African penguins.
