At Adventure World (Shirahama Town, Wakayama Prefecture)—the only place in Japan home to 470 penguins of 10 different species—three egg inspections have been conducted on the emperor penguin egg laid on Thursday, July 23, 2026. These inspections confirmed that the egg is fertilized and that the embryo inside is developing.If development proceeds smoothly, the egg is expected to hatch around the end of September.
The fertilized egg was laid by the pair known as “Papa (E005)” and “Mama (E014),” whose names were chosen through a public contest held from June to July of this year and finalized in August.This pair are the parents of “Yoyo-chan (E044),” the emperor penguin chick born at our park on September 30, 2025—the first birth here in four years.
At our park, we are promoting the “38°C MIRACLE Project,” which encourages reflection on the future of the global environment by highlighting how emperor penguins huddle together in the extreme cold of Antarctica to protect each other’s lives.While caring for each individual penguin and watching over the births of chicks through natural breeding, we are also undertaking research into artificial insemination techniques, continuing to explore new possibilities that will ensure the future of the Emperor Penguin species .

About this season’s fertilized eggs
■Egg-laying date: July 23, 2026(Thu)
■ Parent Information: Male “Papa (E005)” · Female “Mama (E014)”
The laid egg was collected from the parents and is being carefully incubated in an incubator. After examining the egg on August 11, 21, and 31—a total of three times—we confirmed that new life has taken root inside the egg and is growing.

[Dad] Identification Number E005
Male, born in 1997
The "Big Father" of Adventure World.
He has stayed by "Mom (E014)"'s side throughout his life .

[Mama] Identification Number E014
Female, born in 1997
She has laid 16 eggs to date,
The great mother of Adventure World’s emperor penguin family


What is “egg candling”?
Egg candling is a method of observing the inside of an egg to confirm whether it is fertilized and to check the development of the embryo. In a darkened environment, using a specialized egg-candling device, the staff carefully checks for any changes inside the egg that indicate embryonic development. Since Emperor penguin eggs—which live in extremely cold environments—have thick shells, it is not easy to observe what’s inside; therefore, the staff conducts multiple inspections to carefully monitor the development.

Regarding This Season's Spawning Conditions
　So far this season, we have confirmed a total of seven eggs laid.
　*Artificial insemination is performed in conjunction with natural breeding.

Facing the Harsh Reality: Years of Breeding Research and the Challenges of Emperor Penguin Breeding
Our park began research on emperor penguin breeding in 1997 , and in 2004, we succeeded in hatching a chick—the first in Japan (and only the second in the world).Initially, we sustained the species through “full artificial rearing,” in which staff members acted as surrogate parents. However, aiming for natural rearing by the parent birds themselves, we evolved our techniques to “early artificial rearing,” in which chicks are returned to their parents after hatching. In 2013, we succeeded for the first time in having the parent birds feed their chicks.Through our relentless research and track record to date, we have passed on many lives to the future, culminating in the birth last year (2025) of the 16th chick born through our breeding program.
　However, emperor penguins are a species that requires highly advanced breeding techniques, and the probability of a laid egg hatching successfully is by no means high. Even based on our park’s track record from many years of research, the probability that a laid egg is fertilized is [approximately 28%], and the probability that a fertilized egg will hatch is only [approximately 74%].Laying an egg does not automatically mean a new life will be born; there is always the possibility of development arrest (when the process by which a fertilized egg undergoes repeated cell division to become an individual comes to a halt) or the egg being unfertilized. However, we do not turn a blind eye to this harsh reality; instead, we pour our years of accumulated husbandry expertise into maximizing the potential of every single life.


Nurturing life with your ideas and skills. We’re Calling for Entries to Create “Penguin Hoods for Early Chick Rearing”!

　At our park, when natural incubation or rearing by parent birds is difficult, our staff performs “early artificial rearing,” in which they raise the chicks in place of their parents. To prevent “imprinting” (becoming accustomed to humans)—where the chicks mistake humans for their parents—staff members wear “masks” (hats) modeled after penguins when feeding them. Until now, staff have been making these masks by hand, but we faced challenges such as “restricted field of vision”“poor ventilation makes it unbearably hot,” and “a more realistic texture is needed.” As a new step toward the “38℃ MIRACLE Project’s” goal of “protecting wildlife as a society,” we are now seeking creators for these penguin masks. Whether you’re “good at sculpting or sewing,” “know of cool, breathable materials,” or have ideas like “this design would make it easier to use,” why not put your expertise and ideas to work in the field of animal welfare and conservation?We welcome applications from professionals and amateurs, individuals and organizations alike. We look forward to your warm support and participation as we work together to nurture life for the future.
Click here for applicationdetails

[“38°C MIRACLE Project”: A Project for the Future of the Earth]
Emperor penguins are designated as an endangered species and are a rare species kept in captivity in only three countries worldwide: the United States, China, and Japan.Just as Emperor Penguins “huddle” together in the bitter cold, huddling close to one another to protect their lives, safeguarding the future of these penguins leads to safeguarding the future of people, animals, nature, and the entire planet. With this sentiment in mind, our park is promoting the “38°C MIRACLE Project” starting this season.
　As part of this initiative, in the summer of 2026, we invited the public to submit names for the 19 Emperor penguins living at the park, and by the end of August, we had announced the names of every single one. We’re also sharing profiles full of personality, including the thoughts behind each name, as well as their personalities and characteristics. Please be sure to check them out on our special website.
Click here for the “Emperor Penguin Naming Contest” special website