animal care staff travel to Argentina, a breeding ground for Magellanic penguins , to conduct research on wild penguins behavior - Use of data to improve breeding conditions and promote conservation of the natural environment

Sumida Aquarium is pleased to announce that for three days from Thursday, November 27th to Saturday, November 29th, 2025, animal care staff will travel to Argentina, the world's largest breeding ground for Magellanic penguins *1, to conduct a behavioral study of the Magellanic penguins.

Our aquarium is promoting "AQTION! (Action)*2," a sustainable initiative that passes the baton from the aquarium to the future of the Earth. In addition to exhibiting living animals , we also communicate in an enjoyable and easy-to-understand manner to children, who represent the future, the challenges facing the Earth and society, through exhibits and hands-on programs that raise awareness and interest in biodiversity, the importance of life, and the natural environment. Furthermore, in addition to preserving endangered species, we are actively engaged in research and studies to protect the natural environment, and in captivity breeding.
As part of AQTION!, animal care staff will travel to Argentina, where Magellanic penguins breed, to conduct a survey of the penguins' behavior during the breeding season. The survey will be conducted in collaboration with Associate Professor Takashi Yamamoto of the Department of Applied Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, who are conducting surveys and research in Argentina, and Dr. Flavio Quintana of the Argentine National Council of Scientific and Technological Research (CONICET), and will record the penguins' underwater feeding behavior using a small camera.
This survey will allow us to understand the ecology of wild penguins based on their behavior, and we will use this information to improve the breeding environment for the 58 Magellanic penguins living at our aquarium, as well as to reflect this in captivity breeding. In addition, we plan to share the survey results with our guests through panel displays at the penguins Academy and special workshops. We will also post updates on the local situation during the trip on our official social media accounts.
Sumida Aquarium will continue to provide opportunities to learn about the ecology of animals and the environment in which animals live, as well as the preciousness of life.

*1 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
*2 Release dated December 20, 2021: "AQTION!", a sustainability promotion project that passes the baton to the future of the Earth

1. Survey Overview

In Argentina, where Magellanic penguins breed, we will investigate the feeding behavior of individual parent Magellanic penguins during the breeding season. The survey will be conducted in collaboration with Associate Professor Takashi Yamamoto of the Department of Applied Animal Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, and Dr. Flavio Quintana of the Argentine National Council of Scientific and Technological Research (CONICET), and will involve recording the underwater behavior of the penguins using video footage equipped with a small camera. This survey will shed light on the feeding behavior of Magellanic penguins raising their young, and will allow us to consider from various angles the impact of stress and environmental changes on their ecology in the wild.

On-site survey period: Thursday, November 27th, 2025 to Saturday, November 29th, 2025
Research location: Valdes Peninsula, Chubut Province, Argentina

<Research cooperation>

- Associate Professor Takashi Yamamoto, Department of Applied Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University

He studies the ecology of birds and mammals not only in Japan but also around the world. He is interested in the way animals live in relation to their environment (adaptation), and is investigating the relationship between environmental change, global warming, and human activity. His specialty is animal behavioral ecology. In recent years, he has conducted research at a breeding ground for Magellanic penguins in Argentina. He is also conducting research on behavioral monitoring and environmental enrichment*4 by attaching data loggers*3 to animals kept in aquariums and zoos in Japan.
*3 A device with a built-in camera and sensors that can record various data such as location and speed. It is used to record information on the ecology of animals and the surrounding environment.
*4 In order to improve the welfare of captive animals, we devise captive environments based on the habitats and behavior of wild animals.

- Dr. Flavio Quintana, National Council of Scientific and Technological Research, Argentina

He is one of the leading marine conservation biologists in Argentina's Patagonia region. He holds the highest academic degree (Investigador Superior) in his scientific career from the Argentine National Council of Scientific and Technological Research (CONICET). He heads the Marine Top Predator Ecology Laboratory at the Institute of Marine Biology (IBIOMAR-CONICET). His research focuses on the pelagic and migration ecology of marine mammals and seabirds along the Patagonian coast. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed scientific papers and book chapters, and has mentored and supervised dozens of graduate and undergraduate students. His scientific research covers ecosystems ranging from coastal headlands to the edge of the continental shelf, providing important guidance for the conservation of ecosystems affected by coastal and offshore human activities.

■About Magellanic penguins

In the wild, they are found mainly in South America, including Argentina and Chile, where they make their home on warm, rocky and shrub-filled coastlines. They are distinguished by two black bands on their chest. Currently, in Japan, they are kept in captivity in 14 zoos and aquariums, including ours. (From the official website of the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums)

2. About our efforts to raise Magellanic penguins

Since opening in 2012, the aquarium has been working on breeding, and as of this year, 29 Magellanic penguins have been born*5, with a total of 58 Magellanic penguins currently being kept. The Sumida penguins Relationship Chart, which compiles daily observation records by the animal care staff for guests, has been updated annually since 2018*6, and provides information to many guests about the penguins' personalities and social behavior.
Starting in 2022, we have been using digital data loggers to conduct behavioral research on the penguins living in the aquarium, together with Associate Professor Takashi Yamamoto of the Department of Applied Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University*7. The penguins ' behavioral trends have revealed some of the sociality between pairs and individuals, and we jointly published in an international journal our findings that this could be a useful indicator of pair formation and breeding*8. Based on our previous experience in raising the penguins, we reaffirmed their connection to the wild, and in December of that year, our animal care staff animal care staff visited Argentina for the first time to observe the lives and habitats of wild Magellanic penguins *9. We will continue to use data to conduct behavioral research in addition to our daily observations, in order to accurately record the penguins' behavior and ensure their healthy and fulfilling lives.

*5 Release dated April 23, 2025: Baby penguins join the family for the first time in two years. Baby Magellanic penguins"Arare" and "Tsuzumi" are born. *6 Release dated December 2, 2024: The relationships between the penguins have been updated to the latest version! "Sumida penguins Relationship Chart 2025" released. *7 Column dated August 19, 2022: Want to know more about Magellanic penguins? ~About behavioral research using data loggers~
*8 Applied Animal Behavior Science Volume 286, May 2025
*9 Column dated January 29, 2025: [Field Visit Report] Experiencing the lives of Magellanic penguins in Argentina

"AQTION!" - Action to create the future of the Earth

This is an initiative to create the future of the Earth, launched by Sumida Aquarium and Kyoto Aquarium. It is an action by the aquarium, and we hope to connect it to action for everyone, so we named it "AQTION!", meaning "ACTION starting from AQUARIUM."
The aquarium, where visitors can experience the diverse lives of animals up close, aims to encourage them to think about the importance of the global environment and life, and to nurture the power of children to create the future. The collaboration with Ogasawara Village is one of the activities of "AQTION!"

■ "AQTION!" Official Website
https://www.sumida-aquarium.com/aqtion/