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Saturday, 29 August 2026

Meet The Penguins At Penguin Cove

I know not all readers agree with, or like zoos, but I have many happy memories of visits to the Zoo as a child, then with my own children and latterly my grandchildren. One of my favourite visits are seeing the penguins, and at Marwell Zoo in Hampshire there is a colony of thirteen endangered Humboldt penguins. 


Humboldt penguins are one of 18 penguin species. Humboldt penguins are medium-sized penguins from South America. They are greyish-black and white in colour, with a large pink area around the base of their beak. Unusually for birds, both male and female penguins look alike. Whilst they may not be able to fly like most other birds, they are very agile swimmers and almost seem to ‘fly’ through the water. Read more here

"Local swimming kids have been helping penguins make a splash!

Penguins at a zoo in Hampshire are making a splash with their new wave machine - after a fundraising campaign by local children.

More than one hundred kids between the ages of four and eleven completed a sponsored swim to help raise money.

Swimming distances of 50 metres (two lengths) and above, their efforts raised more than £15,000.

Staff at the zoo said the wave machine helps to create strong currents underwater for the penguins to swim against, improving their physical and mental wellbeing.

What happened?

Some of the children who helped fundraise for Marwell Zoo's wave machine - otherwise known as a flow cannon - were at the zoo for the official switch-on.

10-year-old Ellie, who raised £510 by swimming a mile, said she enjoyed the whole experience.

She explained: "It was very fun, I did it in my free time, I'm glad I challenged myself.

"I love penguins, they're so cute and can be so much fun. Also, I love swimming, so I thought it would be the perfect challenge for me."

For the colony of 13 endangered Humboldt penguins who reside in the zoo's Penguin Cove.

Staff said their new machine will create strong underwater currents for the penguins to swim against.

Dan Garrick, from the zoo, added: "It will create a more dynamic, enriched experience for them when they go in the pool."

The zoo said that extra funds raised will be used to further improve the penguins' wellbeing."

Words above from article seen here

Do go and watch the 30 second video of the penguins swimming, they absolutely love it!
You can find the video here  

What did you think of the video? Do you like penguins?
Please share your thoughts in the comments.

All the best Jan

34 comments:

Linda's Relaxing Lair said...

Dear Jan, I guess it comes as no surprise to you that I love penguins! You know how much I love nature and animals! I enjoyed the video! It was delightful and relaxing! And I love the photo of them as well, dear friend. Thank you so much for sharing this post!

Anonymous said...

I like penguins. Lovely post and video.

Tina

J.P. Alexander said...

Lindo poema. Te mando un beso

Mari said...

Penguins are so cute! I love this!

gluten Free A_Z Blog said...

What a great project for the kids. How fun.

Susan Kane said...

What a hoot! the penguins must have delighted children!

DeniseinVA said...

Aren't they wonderful Jan? Thank you so much for this post. I think we would all like to see these animals and birds in their own natural habitat. It is true that not all zoos are perfect, but the best accredited ones run vital breeding and conservation programs that are quite literally the only thing keeping certain endangered species alive today. Pros and cons in everything I guess. All the best, Denise

Debbie said...

i always have mixed feelings about zoos and yet i love them!! i always feel they are clean and the animals are well cared for!! i am a lover of penguins, what's not to love!!

Anonymous said...

They're cute-Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com

Angie's Recipes said...

They are just the cutest!

Granny Marigold said...

Adults and kids alike seem to like penguins. For myself I find them cute.

Modrina Neba said...

How beautiful and charming they are, I've adored them since forever :))
Sunday greetings to you, Andreja!

Elkes Lebensglück said...

It’s so wonderful that the children raised money for the penguins. The video is sweet—thanks for the report. I love zoo visits.

Ruby Rose and the Big Little Angels 3 said...

I love everything about penguins and everything about this post.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
I enjoy visits to the zoos. I love the penguins. They are so cute.
Happy Sunday! Have a great day and a happy new week!

Iris Flavia said...

Fellow blogger Sami took us to Penguin Island - the smallest penguins and they had so much fun splashing around! Great idea with raising money by swimming, too!

Margaret D said...

Love penguins, these ones are cute too and they are having a wonderful time in the water at Penguin Cove, Jan.

Lowcarb team member said...

REPLY TO
Iris Flavia who said...
Fellow blogger Sami took us to Penguin Island - the smallest penguins and they had so much fun splashing around! Great idea with raising money by swimming, too!

Hello Iris
Many thanks for the link back to Sami's blog and also the link to your visit to Penguin Island in 2014 ... goodness how the years pass by! I have commented on your old post, it certainly was a wonderful trip you had back then.

I've always liked penguins.

Always lovely to hear from you in the comments ... thank you.

All the best Jan

Giorgio said...

I hope I will see those marvelous creature in their own environment.

Anne (cornucopia) said...

I do like Penguins, and Zoos serve the important role of housing endangered species like this. The Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida has rhinoceros.

Jeanie said...

I love penguins. They always make me smile!

My name is Erika. said...

What adorable Humbolts. This is a fun post Jan. I hope you're having a super weekend.

Bijoux said...

Penguins are so adorable!

Lisabella Russo said...

They're adorable! Lovely post!

Laura. M said...

Bonita y solidaria iniciativa. Me gustaría ver algún pinguino. Gracias Jan.
Buena semana.
Un abrazo.

Chatty Crone said...

I love penguins! They are so cute.

Mary Kirkland said...

They are very cute.

HappyK said...

They are fun to watch. :).

Lowcarb team member said...

GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Laura. M
Bonita y solidaria iniciativa. Me gustaría ver algún pinguino. Gracias Jan.
Buena semana.
Un abrazo

A lovely initiative that shows solidarity. I’d love to see a penguin. Thanks, Jan.
Have a great week.
Best regards.

Back2OurSmallCorner said...

Just watched the mini video. The penguins are so cute and they clearly love the new addition to their surroundings. It is heartwarming to read about how the money was raised by children for the penguins wellbeing.

Conniecrafter said...

They are so cute, I do enjoy going to the zoo and seeing all the animals.

MELODY JACOB said...

I would have loved seeing these penguins, especially watching them use the wave machine because you can really see how naturally they take to the water. I also loved the part about the local children raising more than £15,000 through sponsored swims. There is something lovely about children using something they enjoy to help animals they care about, and the fact that their fundraising is improving the penguins’ physical and mental wellbeing makes it even more worthwhile. I have always found penguins fascinating because they look so awkward waddling on land and then become incredibly graceful the moment they get into the water. The comparison to flying underwater is so true. And having thirteen endangered Humboldt penguins in the colony makes seeing them even more special.

DVArtist said...

This is a wonderful story. I too have the best memories of me and my family going to the Zoo. We had a big fabulous Zoo where we lived. The animals were well taken care of. I believe Zoos contribute to wildlife conservation, public education, scientific research, and animal rescue. In the US, The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) enforces the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Inspectors make unannounced visits to check on the animals and facility. Also there are State and local laws. However, there are those who set up road side zoos that are not ethical and should be reported if one shows up. Even if they have a license it is minimal and care for the animals are not always good. With that said there are very good Zoos that care for and help animals. I love the penguins and the story of how the kids raised money for them.

Teresa said...

Me gustan los pingüinos. Se les ven felices nadando. Besos.