An African penguin at the New England Aquarium recently defied the odds by living more than twice as long as expected. 

Known as “Lambert,” the bird’s 30th “hatch day” was on Thursday. Born in captivity, the penguin hatched at the aquarium in 1992 with a typical life expectancy of 10 to 15 years. But marine professionals say Lambert has about doubled that figure, mostly due to the geriatric animal care he’s received living at the aquarium.

Aquarium officials said Lambert gets routine care and veterinary checkups, with specialized treatment such as double cataract surgery in October 2019. The bird also receives daily eye drops. 

Lambert also got a melatonin implant in the summer of 2021 to help with an overdue molt, which is a common issue for his species. 

“Going through a prolonged period without molting can lead to feather breakage and degradation in penguins, which impacts the bird’s ability to be waterproof and can lead to hypothermia,” an aquarium spokesperson said in a statement. “Irregular molting can pose even more issues for penguins in their native environments. Fortunately, Lambert’s implant promoted a successful molt.”

Lambert’s caregivers gave him his name based on a small fishing town on the western coast of South Africa, Lambert’s Bay. Aquarium guests can spot him by looking for a green bracelet on his left wing and an extra thick white band of feathers on his head. 

The bird is one of two African penguins at the aquarium to celebrate a landmark hatch day in 2022. A female penguin named Harlequin will also turn 30 in November. The pair have some competition, though — Lambert is only the fifth oldest penguin at the Aquarium.

Aquarium officials say African penguins are an endangered species due to overfishing, climate change, and pollution in their native habitats. Over the last 30 years, the number of African penguins breeding in South Africa declined by 73%, according to biologists, from 42,500 breeding pairs in 1991 to 10,400 pairs in 2021.