It looks like at certain times of the day they block off the public path with the fences, walk the penguins across to the little enclosure on the left....and then...what? What is it in aid of?
It looks like at certain times of the day they block off the public path with the fences, walk the penguins across to the little enclosure on the left....and then...what? What is it in aid of?
For many years Edinburgh Zoo had a 'Penguin Parade' when their (then) big colony of King Penguins and some of the other species too(? IIRC) were, under supervision, walked every afternoon around the pathways in parts of the grounds. I believe it all started accidentally because an enclosure gate was left open one day and they 'escaped' and obviously enjoyed the experience of walking around exploring, and so the Zoo capitalised on this and turned it into a daily routine. I don't know if Edinburgh still do this though?
Twycross seem to be emulating this in a very cheap way, though the basic idea for it may have no connection with Edinburgh at all, it may well have come from the many media-related exposures of Penguins nowadays, so they have come up with the idea of their Blackfooteds or whatever waddling across a zebra crossing- how cute...
As I said somewhere else I very much doubt people will be allowed to actually touch them- just look at them- 'health and safety' and all that.
So to answer your question- what's it in aid of?- I'd say just a way of giving easily pleased visitors something extra to see- in a zoo where 'big' species slowly seem to be leaving.
kings and gentoos in the Edinburgh penguin walk in the photos I've seen.
I imagine watching a big group of penguins walking round a zoo like at Edinburgh would be very cool, but I just can't see how watching a them walk ten feet to another enclosure is all that entertaining (although I will grant that the zebra crossing probably gives it added value for your average zoo-goer). Its just weird.
k but I just can't see how watching a them walk ten feet to another enclosure is all that entertaining (although I will grant that the zebra crossing probably gives it added value for your average zoo-goer). Its just weird.
IMO your average zoo-goers are VERY easily satisfied !!. I can see them at Twycross with all their little children crowding along the fence to watch this- its a little bit out of the ordinary for them so the visitors will no doubt love it. And they have nothing else(e.g. Edinburgh's display) to compare it with anyway. It costs the Zoo a lot less than yet another new species/enclosure but provides that all important 'new attraction'. Agree totally with you of course, for you and me its just a cheap little gimmick.
