[VIDEO] Gentoo Penguins Settle Into Their New Habitat At The Detroit Zoo

ROYAL OAK (CBS Detroit) – Meet three gentoo penguins who just found their new home at the Detroit Zoo. They are the first of their species to enter the Polk Penguin Conservation Center (PPCC)

Female Philly and males Popeye and Simon – each just over a year old. They join the other species in the PPCC including king, rockhopper and macaroni penguins. More gentoos will arrive in the coming months as completion of the PPCC nears.

Simon (credit: Jennie Miller/Detroit Zoo)

Simon and Other Penguins (credit: Jennie Miller/Detroit Zoo)

Simon Philly Popeye (credit: Jennie Miller/Detroit Zoo)

The birds are destined for a new home including a chilled 326,000-gallon, 25-foot-deep aquatic area with views from above and below water.

The PPCC is slated to open early in 2016. The current habitat, the Penguinarium, will be converted to a bat conservation center.

For the latest information and zoo hours visit detroitzoo.org.

The long-tailed gentoo penguin is recognized by the white stripe extending across its head and its bright red-orange bill.

The gentoo is the third-largest penguin, reaching a height of 30 inches and a weight of up to 20 pounds.

It is also the fastest-diving bird, with paddle-shaped flippers that help it reach speeds of up to 22 miles an hour under water.