Macaroni Day!

One hundred years ago today, the penguins arrived at Edinburgh zoo.

Edinburgh Zoo had been open for only six months when four king penguins, one gentoo and a macaroni arrived on 25 January 1914, after a 7,000-mile journey from South Georgia. Since the penguins’ arrival, Edinburgh has become a leading centre of penguin expertise. In 1919, the first king penguin born in the northern hemisphere arrived. The first macaroni chick born in captivity came in 1935, and two years later the zoo was the first to breed a gentoo chick.

The story goes that in 1951, a zookeeper forgot to close the gate to the penguin enclosure and they went for a wander round Corstorphine. It was decided to keep this daily parade going, although only around the zoo grounds and not the local community, and this tradition lives on to this day. The parade is one of the main attractions of the zoo, along with Sweetie and Sunshine, the pandas of course!

The weather is pretty rubbish today again, grey and wet. Just as well blipped the zoo logo so early today!

Anyway, have a good Saturday, all.