Latest news with #MarchofthePenguinMadness
BBC News
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'Batman star' penguin hopes to be crowned world's favourite
A Hollywood star who keepers say shared the screen with Danny DeVito and David Attenborough - is vying to become the world's most popular penguin at the grand age of who lives at Birdland Park and Gardens in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, has been shortlisted for the award as part of the March of the Penguin Madness is thought to be the oldest king penguin in the world at 40 years of competition to become the world's most popular penguin includes Brian from The Deep in Hull, and Ike from ABQ BioPark Zoo, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with voting due to happen in rounds. 'Hollywood swagger' Organised by Penguins International, the competition involves 48 birds from around the world, nominated by zoos, aquariums, and Cox says that at mealtimes Seth is fed a herring that has half a vitamin tablet in its mouth, and that the penguin is distinguished from the others due to his "celebrity strut"."Fundamentally, he is 40 years old, so it's probably a bit of arthritis, hence the fact we're giving him his medication," he said."We like to call it his Hollywood swagger, especially as he's been in the Batman Returns movie." Mr Cox said Seth was one of "six or eight penguins" flown to Hollywood in crates of ice to star in the 1992 film."They formed part of Danny DeVito's evil penguin army in the movie," he said."You can see Seth in part of the film swimming around on a rocket launcher on his back."Mr Cox described Seth as a very caring creature, having helped one of his fellow Birdland penguins when she was struggling. He explained: "We had an older penguin called Lily who went blind in one eye so she couldn't really see."When it was food time, he would call to her and get her to follow him as he was wandering down."In 2023, another of Seth's fellow Birdland penguins, Spike, was crowned the world's favourite penguin. The pair are among those at the Cotswolds park to have featured in David Attenborough's programme, Natural Curiosities. Voting will continue each week until one penguin is declared the most popular.
BBC News
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Brian the penguin, from Hull, in running to be 'world's best'
A penguin described as having "a colourful love life" is in the running to be crowned world's best 15, the oldest member of the gentoo colony at The Deep in Hull, has been shortlisted for the award as part of the global March of the Penguin Madness contest - organised by Penguins International, involves 48 birds from around the world, nominated by zoos, aquariums, and will take place in rounds, with Brian coming up against Ike from ABQ BioPark Zoo, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the first heat. Staff at The Deep said Brian was "a firm favourite" with visitors, and the only penguin in the colony to have received a birthday card from an adoring fan."He's got a huge personality, a very particular taste in food, and a colourful love life. Even as the eldest in the colony, Brian is truly a fabulous and crucial ambassador for his species," they first round of voting is now open, with the public able to cast their ballot on Penguin International's website, or via social media will continue each week until one penguin is crowned Peng Win year, more than 800,000 people voted for their favourite penguin, with the contest won by Kokosanka - a rare Polish albino penguin. Katie Propp, chief operations officer at Penguins International, said the contest aimed to "highlight penguins in zoos and aquariums that serve as ambassadors to their species"."Wild penguins continue to face numerous threats, as demonstrated by the uplisting of African Penguins from 'endangered' to 'critically endangered' last October."Penguin ambassadors at zoos and aquariums inspire guests to want to save their wild counterparts which is why the awareness aspect of this competition is so important," she to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
