The Penguin Post has learned that Edinburgh Zoo’s iconic penguin enclosure is to close for months as urgent maintenance is carried out to fix the animals’ leaking pool, and with it the suspension of the world famous Edinburgh Penguin Parade. The work will mean that the penguin colony is split up today. The relocation process will take up to two weeks, with a third of the penguins remaining at Edinburgh Zoo and others sent to zoos in Belfast, Gloucestershire, and Odense, Denmark. Sadly some will never return. Zoo officials said the first stage of repairs would involve allowing the outdoor penguin pool to drain naturally, which will take around five weeks, followed by an assessment by a team of engineers. The enclosure is expected to reopen in the summer. Hugh Roberts, chief executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the charity which owns and manages Edinburgh Zoo, said: “The existing pool has served our large colony of kings, gentoos and rockhoppers extremely well for 20 years, and to ensure it continues to do so in the future, we need to carry out maintenance work.” Hopefully sometime late in 2012 the penguins will be parading in Edinburgh again.
Tags: Edinburgh Zoo, penguin parade
