New Delhi: A controversy has erupted over the naming of three newly hatched Humboldt penguin chicks at Mumbai’s Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Zoo, popularly known as Rani Baug. BJP leaders have demanded that the chicks, born on Mumbai soil, be given Marathi names instead of English ones, calling the current English names an “injustice” to the Marathi language.
The penguin chicks — Noddy, Tom, and Pingu — were named by the zoo administration following the tradition established when the first batch of Humboldt penguins arrived from South Korea in 2016. However, BJP’s Byculla assembly constituency leader Nitin Bankar, who spearheaded protests outside the zoo, insists that chicks born in Maharashtra must carry Marathi names to honour the state’s language and cultural identity.
‘Its about respecting our culture’
“When the penguins were brought from abroad, it was accepted that they would have English names. But those born here should be given Marathi names,” said Bankar. He added that repeated appeals to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which manages the zoo, have been ignored. “This is not just about animal names but about recognising Marathi as a classical language and respecting our culture.”
The protest took place outside the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo, where the penguin chicks were born earlier this year. The BJP leader has sent letters to the BMC and zoo administration, warning that if their demands are not met, a stronger protest will follow.
The zoo currently houses 21 Humboldt penguins, a species native to South America. The chicks were born to two pairs of penguins in March 2025.