"How the Sumida Penguins Correlation Chart 2026 was created"

The Sumida penguins Relationship Chart, which began in 2018, has become synonymous with Sumida Aquarium. Just like humans, the penguins have their own personalities, and their relationships and stories change every year.
The Sumida penguins Relationship Chart will be celebrating its eighth year in 2026, but it doesn't just aim to convey the relationships between the penguins. In this column, we'll tell you everything from its purpose to the production process, all the way to the creation of the Sumida penguins Relationship Chart!
(Author: Yoshimoe Kasuga, Exhibition and Breeding Team)

■ The beginning of the penguins relationship chart

As mentioned at the beginning, penguins have their own personalities and stories, just like humans.

As we live our daily lives, our relationships with our birds may change, and their personalities may change; for example, one bird may have previously felt lonely when alone but has recently become stronger, or one may have previously been angry but has become more mellow.

As animal care staff who spend their days with these penguins , our conversations, both at work and in our private lives, are always filled with information about the penguins. For example,

"Suika and Sakura found a second home."

"I feel like Kiriko and Kinako's relationship is getting stronger."

"Ame and Momoha often explore together!" and so on.

However, the stories of these penguins remain only in the memories of us animal care staff.

The average lifespan of a Magellanic penguins is about 25 years.

As animal care staff, we cannot always be with the penguins for life, and we work in shifts so we cannot always be with them, so it is essential that we share information every day.

The penguins care diary records information necessary for health management for each bird, such as how much food they have eaten and how many kilograms they weigh, as well as daily observations, examinations, and treatment status.

We thought that by sharing the penguins' behaviors and personalities in addition to the diary information, we might be able to find better health management methods tailored to each penguins.

So, here are some ideas that our seniors came up with.

This is the resume of the penguins.

I still have the original copy, and sometimes I reread it and think, "So this is what Maron was like as a penguins seven years ago."

The Sumida penguins Relationship Chart brings together the "real world" of these penguins in one image!

■Purpose of creating the penguins correlation chart

Broadly speaking, there are two purposes: for customers and for animal care staff.

The thing I want to convey most to my customers is that "penguins have their own societies and personalities too." One penguins caught my eye.

"Cocoa likes spending time alone. She's just like me," "Aloe is loved by the younger members. I want to follow her example!" We want people to take an interest in each individual penguin, not just as a penguins at Sumida Aquarium, but as a member of Sumida Aquarium!

What's more, we want you to become passionate fans of each bird and watch them grow with us!

The penguins relationship chart also plays a very important role for us animal care staff.

Our goal is to look after the penguins' minds as well as their bodies.

Are the penguins safe every day, able to be with the people they love, and able to rest in peace?

I would like to look at this issue from a mental health perspective as well.

...I suddenly got serious, but the penguins relationship chart, which visualizes the penguins ' personalities and relationships, is also a very important hint when it comes to raising them!

To do this, it is essential to first become familiar with each animal's personality, behavior, and relationships within the group.

For example, there is information that "hydrangeas and drums tend to cheat on each other quickly" and "apples and macarons are at odds with each other."

As you can see in the photo, the penguins are periodically moved to the back yard for health checks, and with this information available at those times, we can see that it would be best to avoid putting Hydrangea and Taiko, or Ringo and Macaron in the same room.

On the other hand, the information that "Ramune and Yuzu get restless when they're not around" suggests that the two birds need to make sure they always act together.

This information helps us to care for the penguins so that they don't get injured and can live relaxed lives.

In fact, I have looked over penguins relationship charts created in the past many times, and while fantasizing about the time, I have memorized the changes in pairs and the characteristics of each individual.

The hints provided by these penguins relationship charts are put to good use in animal husbandry work.

■How to make a penguins relationship chart

As you can see, it's not easy to create that kind of complexity (laughs).

With the combined efforts of many people and penguins, we are able to complete it every year.

The steps are roughly as follows:

① Information gathering ② Writing information into the previous year's penguins correlation chart ③ Meeting with the production team

Personally, I found the most difficult part to be ① gathering information.

The penguins relationship chart is updated once a year.

Do you know what this means?

As the days of the year pass by at a rapid pace, we all encounter and part with people, and our feelings and circumstances change. There is probably an information overload, and sometimes events are forgotten.

That's right. Simply put, you need to memorize one year's worth of stories x 58 birds!!

So, whenever we noticed a new side to the penguins or a new relationship between them, we took photos, shared the story with everyone, and made notes.

Since we can't all come to work every day, we each make sure to keep a close eye on the penguins and report any information we receive to everyone immediately!

Then, every year when the creation of the relationship chart begins, we conduct a survey to gather the memories of all the animal care staff.

The next task is ② filling out last year's penguins correlation chart.

Look at this photo.

This is the result of writing a year's worth of stories x 58 birds!

The film not only covers the relationship between the animal care staff and the penguins, but also includes stories from the animal care staff themselves.

There are penguins who have relationships with people and penguins who don't. We want to convey the feelings we have when we interact with the 58 penguins.

Also, not only the penguins but also our animal care staff would like to get to know our visitors, so if you are interested, please feel free to contact us (laughs).

Finally, ③ there is a meeting with the production team.

Not only the animal care staff but also project members are involved in creating the penguins relationship chart.

This time is a lot of fun because everyone here has been involved in the production from the beginning.

"Basil's popularity is over, isn't it?"

"What?! We broke up here!"

"Ponzu has grown up."

I will tell you in great detail, as if I were talking about family or friends.

It was like a casual conversation. We talked and wrote about ever-expanding stories for over three hours, and finally we were ready to put the penguins relationship chart into shape.

■ Thoughts on the penguins Relationship Chart and the Future

penguins are like humans. Or maybe humans are like penguins.

Before joining the company, I was a fan of the penguins Relationship Chart and would wait for its update every year.

"I didn't know penguins had such unique personalities. It's amazing how the animal care staff can notice them."

I was just having fun with such pure feelings.

Now my thinking has completely changed, and I can even say, "It's only natural that penguins have their own personalities."

This is an aspect that you may not notice just by visiting an aquarium and looking at the animals.

What is the ecology of Magellanic penguins? Not only that, but through the penguins relationship chart, we want you to learn about their charms, which go beyond just their cuteness.

Understand the penguins, empathize with penguins, and be close to them.

I would like to continue to preserve this penguins relationship chart as a starting point, so that it will continue to connect with animal care staff and customers for many years to come.

■Bonus: Highlights of the Sumida penguins Relationship Chart 2026

My top 3 favorite episodes!

①New members join

Arare and Tsuzumi were born in 2025.

We are already seeing a lot of interaction with the other penguins.

Please pay attention to the differences in the personalities of the two birds.

②Fuji, the fearsome devil

Perhaps it's because she exudes pheromones, but Fuji never lets go of a man she meets once...

I also want to convey the shock of seeing even the devoted Rose being tossed around. She'll hate me...

③ Collusion among the class born in 2023

Ponzu, Koume, Ame, and Zunda have become closer and it's so cute!

Ponzu is a big sister type who watches over them from a little distance.

The two birds are being lured by Amezunda and are up to some kind of mischief, so Koume goes to see what they are doing.

They are four wonderful classmates who each seem to have their own role to play.