Edinburgh Zoo’s gentoo penguins have been given pebbles decorated by children being supported by Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity.
The pebbles were painted as part of weekly sessions held at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) told The Student: “Gentoo penguins gift each other pebbles as part of their courtship ritual – the pebbles are then used to build their nest.”
“Pebble nests protect the egg and help keep chicks dry, warm and raised off the ground.
“…In 2023, we had 16 gentoo chicks [hatch] and two critically endangered Northern rockhopper chicks which is a good result.”
When asked what makes the penguins look for when selecting pebbles, the RZSS stated: “A perfect pebble to one penguin might not be a perfect pebble to another!
Edinburgh student Jana Kollmannsperger worked with penguins at Loro Parque in Tenerife.
“If I had to describe what penguins are like with one word I would say they are confused.
“I assume that is probably why we often find them so sympathetic and adorable.
“…Some penguins were very cheeky, like the papua penguins. They sometimes came over to bite your hands or fingers, but never so that it hurt badly.”
“The bigger King penguins sometimes got a bit aggressive, but not in a dangerous way.
“You just had to get out of their way and they forgot about it straight away.
“…Funny little rockhoppers are my favourite [kind of penguin].
“They were the most curious and the least aggressive of them all.
Edinburgh Zoo has a small breeding colony of Northern rockhopper penguins, a bachelor group of king penguins and nearly 100 gentoo penguins living at ‘Penguin’s Rock’.
Notable residents of Penguin’s Rock include Snowflake (named due to the silver colour of his feathers caused by a genetic condition) and Kevin.
Kevin is well known for attacking keeper’s boots.
Newborn chicks are named by the keepers that hatch them.
Edinburgh Zoo is also home to the world’s only knighted penguin – Major General Sir Nils Olav.
Illustration by Jessica Bolevin
