GENTOO PENGUINS, EDINBURGH ZOO, LIVE WEBCAM

Local time
Location: Edinburgh Zoo, Scotland, United Kingdom
Source: www.edinburghzoo.org.uk
Info: Live streaming webcam showing gentoo penguins at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland. The gentoo penguin colony at the zoo numbers almost 100 individuals and the zoo is famous for its Penguin Parade.. Gentoo penguins are the third largest penguin, after the emperor and king penguin.
View the location of Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland, with Mapquest

More info: The world famous Penguin Parade began at Edinburgh Zoo in 1951 when a gate was left open by mistake and a gentoo penguin escaped. The keeper decided to see what would happen and it was followed by other penguins to the front of the Zoo. The Penguin Parade has continued voluntarily to this day.

The gentoo penguins may all look very similar, but each penguin has a distinct personality and character and they are well known to their keepers who use different coloured flipper bands to help tell them apart - male penguins have bands on their right flipper, and females on the left. Notable individuals include Snowflake, who is leucistic (pale colouration of skin and feathers), and Kevin, who has been banned from Penguin Parade for bad behaviour !

Gentoo penguins are the third largest penguin species. Unlike certain other penguin species, in the wild, gentoos do not have a yearly migration cycle. Gentoo Penguins are normally found on the shorelines of the Antarctic peninsular and on many sub-Antarctic islands. Gentoo penguins are monogamous during the breeding season, in that they stay with one partner - and some bonds can last for life.

Additional Information:

Gentoo Penguin - Oceanwide Expeditions - oceanwide-expeditions.com

22 Interesting facts about gentoo penguins - UK Antarctic Heritage Trust - www.ukaht.org