Hope’s newest ambassador is an African penguin at the Vancouver Aquarium.
The black and white bird was recently named after the community, thanks to a written submission by Nicole Souza.
The aquarium decided to name each of its seven new penguins after a B.C. town. More than 600 entries were received during the one-month contest, with submissions ranging from original artwork and fun video, to quirky poems and stories.
Souza wrote a song called “We are Little Penguins,” sung to the tune of “I’m a Little Teapot.” She said she chose the name “Hope” because African penguins are an endangered species.
“Now people from all over the world will be able to see and learn about these beautiful animals and their plight when they come to visit the Vancouver Aquarium,” Souza wrote in her submission. “‘Hope the Penguin’ can be an ambassador for the species and encourage people to learn about ways they can help protect penguins, like buying sustainable seafood.”
The other contest winners were Lillooet, Nelson, Salt Spring, Sechelt, Steveston and Tofino.