New penguin exhibit opens at The Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy

SANDY —The fastest "happy feet" on the planet are now living in Utah.

The Living Planet Aquarium's new "Penguin Encounter" exhibit opens to the public Friday and features the gentoo, the swiftest of the 17 species of penguins.

"They are the fastest penguins," Brian Marquez, aquarium education director, said, noting that they can swim up to 17 mph.

He also said this is the first time he's aware of that the gentoo species has lived in Utah. (Hogle Zoo has the warmer-water, black-footed penguin variety.)

The 11 new penguins were unveiled Thursday morning in a sneak preview to the media and aquarium members.

A wide acrylic window looks into the penguins' world and offers guests some vantage points to view the penguins from a nose-to-beak kind of angle.

"This is a thrill," Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan said, predicting the penguins would be a huge hit.

Whereas only a few dozen aquarium members turned out last December to see the aquarium's new sea horse exhibit, several hundred arrived in force to get a sneak peek at the penguins.

"I think it's awesome," Jennifer Delliskabe of Murray said.

Her daughter, Elizabeth, 5, is a fan of the animal and even wears a penguin necklace. "Good, good" was her reaction to the new display.

Three of the 11 penguins are chicks that hatched in late 2009 and six are 1 year old. The remaining two are an adult breeding pair more than 4 years old.

Gentoo penguins hail from the cool climate of the Falkland Islands. They eat small fish and krill and love to swim and interact in social colonies.

Marquez said the penguins are active at all times of the day, splashing, swimming and frolicking.

Only one of the penguins, Coco, is named so far. The rest will receive names through exhibit sponsorships. The penguins currently range in weight from about 10 to 19 pounds.

The penguin exhibit was delayed almost a month because of the penguins' switch to new "formal wear."