Edinburgh Zoo vaccinates 150 resident penguins ahead of winter

Edinburgh Zoo has vaccinated 150 resident penguins ahead of winter.

Vets and keepers from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) individually vaccinated, checked microchips and completed health checks on the penguin colony.

The so-called “great penguin jag 2025” saw keepers and vets vaccinate all three of the zoo’s penguin species – king, northern rockhopper and gentoo.

Over 150 penguins have received their annual vaccinations at Edinburgh Zoo. Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS)

“It takes a lot of planning and a big team effort to vaccinate all of our penguins,” Hannah Brazier, RZSS veterinary nurse, said.

“It feels great at the end of the day though. When it came to it, the hardest thing to deal with was the wind and rain.”

Edinburgh Zoo has a large colony of gentoo penguins, with over 100 living at Penguins Rock.

One of the zoo’s most famous residents is a “naughty” gentoo penguin named Kevin, who was previously banned from the Wee Waddle for nipping visitors’ shoelaces.

In the wild, gentoos can dive to depths of 665ft and reach speeds of up to 22mph while swimming.

The gentoos may look similar, but according to the RZSS, each penguin has distinct personality and is well known by zoo keepers who use different coloured flipper bands to help tell them apart.

Edinburgh Zoo has a large colony of gentoo penguins, with over 100 living at Penguins Rock. Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS)

Edinburgh Zoo also has a group of king penguins, including internationally famous Major General Sir Nils Olav who has become the highest-ranking animal of his kind in the world.

Sir Nils was awarded a new badge of honour following a carefully choreographed parade in 2023.

The regal, black, white and yellow bird is the mascot of the King of Norway’s Guard, and his story dates back as far as 1972 – when he was adopted by the then-King of Norway, King Olav.

The zoo also has a small breeding colony of Northern rockhopper penguins.

The rare species has a distinctive yellow crest and red eyes, and it is listed as endangered on the ICUN red list.