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Penguins to return to Providence zoo for the first time in over a decade

The new exhibit of Humboldt penguins opens at the Roger Williams Park Zoo on Memorial Day weekend

In this handout photo provided by SeaWorld San Diego, Humboldt and Magellanic penguins swim together in their habitat at SeaWorld San Diego on March 13, 2014 in San Diego, California. Handout/Photographer: Handout/Getty Imag

PROVIDENCE – Penguins are marching back into Roger Williams Park Zoo.

The Providence zoo announced Wednesday its forthcoming exhibit featuring a dozen Humboldt penguins will officially open on Memorial Day weekend, marking the first time penguins have been a staple there since 2013.

The penguins are considered a “vulnerable” species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. With their return next month, the Roger Williams Park Zoo will become one of only 24 facilities to care for the species in North America, the zoo said.

“Most people imagine snow and ice when they think of penguins, but our Humboldt penguins are from the hot, arid coastal regions of Chile and Peru; Humboldt penguins inhabit these coastal regions, favoring rocky environments near nutrient-dense waters,” zoo officials said in a statement Wednesday.

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The penguins are typically between 15 and 18 inches tall and weigh approximately nine pounds. They consume a diet of fish, squid, and crustaceans, and have waterproof, insulating feathers that are “maintained by constant preening with oil from their preen gland,” according to the zoo.

More than a million Humboldt penguins were reported to be in existence in the mid-19th century. These days, however, there are only about 12,000 breeding pairs estimated to be left, zoo officials said.

“Primary threats to their survival include overfishing of essential prey species, accidental capture in fishing nets, and climate change disrupting food sources,” the zoo said. “Additionally, guano harvesting for fertilizer destroys crucial nesting sites, further endangering the species. Among the world’s 17 penguin species, Humboldt penguins are notably at high risk.”

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According to zoo officials, the Providence facility is involved in the “Species Survival Plan” established by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The program “facilitates collaborative breeding and transfer initiatives with other accredited zoos and aquariums, thereby promoting a healthy and genetically diverse population,” the zoo said.

Christopher Gavin can be reached at christopher.gavin@globe.com.