Edinburgh Zoos oldest and sassiest penguin killed by fox during horror enclosure attack

Edinburgh Zoo: Northern rockhopper penguin cares for new chick

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Mrs Wolowitz, a Northern Rockhopper, died aged 35 following the incident on Wednesday night. The zoo paid tribute to Mrs Wolowitz, seemingly named after the Big Bang Theory’s Mrs Debbie Wolowitz, saying she had a “massive personality”.

It said the other penguins in the colony were not hurt and are doing well.

In a social media post late on Thursday, the zoo said: “We know so many of you loved Mrs Wolowitz, our oldest penguin.

“Sadly, we lost her last night after a fox broke into our penguin enclosure. Thankfully, the rest of our colony are unharmed and are doing well.

“Her massive personality will be missed.”

The penguin, thought to be the oldest of her kind in the world, celebrated her 35th birthday in May this year.

A Northern Rockhoppers life expectancy in the wild is usually 10 to 15 years, and around 20 years in captivity.

In a profile on its website, Edinburgh Zoo, in Corstorphine, E described Mrs Wolowitz as the “sassiest” penguin in the colony.

They said: “Always giving the keepers a honk when they arrive in the morning, Mrs Wolowitz isn’t afraid to tell the younger penguins off for getting in her space and isn’t shy about making herself known at feeding time, barging to the front of the queue.”

The zoo said its expert teams check the enclosures daily for signs of damage but there is always a risk that wild animals will break in.

DON’T MISS

Vegan activists call for Pork Pie roundabout to be renamed [INSIGHT]
Woman tries to drown friend’s dog in front of shocked beachgoers [VIDEO]
Dog and duck duo pals for TWO YEARS and refuse to mix with own kind [INFO]

It added: “We are looking at what we can do to further reinforce the boundary.”

The penguins’ rock colony at the zoo is home to three species, with more than 100 penguins.

The Northern Rockhopper penguins are an endangered species, native to the southern Indian and Atlantic Oceans

They are known for their bright yellow feathers above their eyes.

The Rockhoppers are the smallest species of penguin at Edinburgh Zoo, measuring 41 to 46cm in size and 2.5kg in weight.

Source: Read Full Article