ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Many will enter, but only one penguin will be crowned the champion of this year’s March of the Penguin Madness contest.
The contest starts on March 17. Penguins from all across the world are named in the bracket, and this year four penguins from the Detroit Zoo are competing.
Jay, Opal, Maximilian, and Freckles, are among this year’s contestants. The event is meant to highlight penguin well-being and conservation efforts.
The Detroit Zoo is calling on the community to vote for their penguins. Voting opens on Sunday, March 17, at penguinsinternational.org.
Meet the penguins
There are six divisions in this bracket, and only one winner. The contestants will compete their way through the bracket. You can find a full list of contestants at penguinsinternational.org.
Jay
Jay is a male Macaroni penguin. He is 16 years old and his conservation status is listed as vulnerable. You can learn more about Jay here.
Opal
Opal is a female Southern Rockhopper penguin. She is 8 months old and her conservation status is listed as vulnerable. You can learn more about Opal here.
Maximilian
Maximilian is a male King penguin. He is 1.7 years old and his conservation status is listed as least concern. You can learn more about Max here.
Freckles
freckles is a female Southern Rockhopper penguin. She is 26 years old and her conservation status is listed as vulnerable. You can learn more about Freckles here.