ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Guests at SeaWorld Orlando will soon be able to see what’s billed as the Western Hemisphere’s only emperor penguins.
Starting Saturday, June 14, all guests will be able to see the world’s largest penguin species up close at the theme park’s Antarctica Realm. This follows two days of passholder previews, which began Thursday.
“This is an incredibly rare and exciting opportunity for guests to encounter one of nature’s most extraordinary species,” Jon Peterson, park president of SeaWorld Orlando, said in a statement. “We’re proud to continue SeaWorld’s legacy of penguin care and conservation, while giving our guests a rare chance to connect with these animals in remarkable ways.”
The emperor penguins here now in Florida were relocated from SeaWorld San Diego, which is credited as leading global efforts in emperor penguin care and breeding since the early 1980s, according to a news release.
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The new encounter coincides with a penguin-themed art installation in downtown Orlando, where SeaWorld has partnered with Creative City Project to display giant inflatable penguins on select rooftops through June 19.
[WATCH: Giant penguins arrive on downtown Orlando rooftops]