Polar Circle
Description
Schedule
Open year-round
Accessibility
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Low Light
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Wheelchair Accessible
Indoors & Out
The Polar Circle includes indoor areas, where you’ll encounter animals including chinstrap penguins, easily recognized by the feather markings on their heads that resemble a helmet held in place with a black strap. Outdoors, you’ll find harbor seals - sometimes called ‘crawling seals’, because on land they contract their stomach muscles to wiggle along like a caterpillar.
King of New York?
In 2015, Central Park Zoo became home to the first king penguin ever hatched in New York City. The landmark hatching was the result of the expertise and careful husbandry techniques practiced by the zoo’s keepers and curatorial staff.
In the Exhibit
Macaroni Penguin
Macaroni penguins are easily identified by their comparatively large bill and characteristic bright yellow crest composed of long yellow feathers on either side of the head.
Tufted Penguin
The distinctive yellow tufts of the tufted puffin only appear in summer, and molt away during the winter. These birds are known for their acrobatic swimming patterns.
Gentoo Penguin
Gentoo penguins are known for their loud, trumpeting calls. After hatching, chicks spend about one month in the nest before joining the other chicks in the colony.
Get More Out of Your Zoo Visit
Become a WCS Member
Become a WCS Member today and begin a year of adventure at the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and Prospect Park Zoo while also helping us with our mission to protect wildlife and inspire the next generation of zoologists and conservationists.
