PENGUINS at Birdland have been keeping cool despite the sizzling heatwave - and their antics have been drawing the crowds.
Staff keep them cool at feeding time with umbrellas and sprinklers and they are even given blocks of ice to stand on.
Manager Simon Blackwell said: “The pool water is fed from a well so it’s very cool. We also freeze water every day and throw blocks of ice that they can lie on.
“They are doing very well as long as we give them the shade. The evenings are still quite cool. I think they are loving all the attention.”
Meanwhile, the five new King Penguins who flew in from Edinburgh Zoo last April, are now back in their pool in Scotland.
The king penguins including Sir Nils Olav – the mascot of the Norwegian Royal Guard – were rehomed at the attraction in Bourton while repairs were made to their pool.
There were hopes that the new recruits would stimulate the colony.
“The other birds probably miss them,” said Mr Blackwell. “They went back about a month ago. We saw some interaction between a couple of the penguins and two of our females.
“We had three eggs this year but they were all infertile unfortunately.”
- Birdland boasts the only group of king penguins in England and Wales with nine male and five females.
