ZSL London Zoo calls on young animal lovers to help save penguins

Waddle for Wildlife

ZSL London Zoo calls on young animal lovers to help save penguins

International conservation charity the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is calling on children who love penguins to take part in the second ever Penguin Waddle at ZSL London Zoo on Saturday 18 April to raise vital funds for these flightless birds.

Arriving before the Zoo opens to the general public early birds will take on their very own waddle in the heart of the Zoo ending up at Penguin Beach, England's largest penguin pool.

Waddlers up to the age of ten, whether they stand 1.3 meters tall like the Emperor penguin or just 33cm small like the fairy penguin, are invited to don their finest feathers, beaks and webbed feet to transform themselves into their flippered friends for the challenge.

By pledging to raise £20 each, participants will not only be helping ZSL London Zoo's colony of penguins stay in tip top shape, but will also be supporting ZSL's conservation work helping vulnerable and endangered penguins in the wild.

As an extra treat the lucky participants will get to waddle just a glass-width away from where ZSL London Zoo's Ricky the rockhopper and ZSL's 70-strong huddle of Humboldt penguins will be zooming by just feet away.

The comical challenge will finish with a special talk about these incredible birds to inspire budding penguin keepers, there will also be prizes presented for the best dressed penguin and highest fundraiser.

Participants will then have the rest of the day to explore the Zoo and see some of its amazing creatures, including baby western lowland gorilla Alika and explore the brand new walk-through exhibit In with the Lemurs.

Keen participants will need to get their flippers on as with only 100 places available spots will get snapped up fast. Visitwww.zsl.org/penguinwaddle to book a place or find out more.

-ENDS-

Editors' notes

Media information

For more information contact Christina Storey on 0207 449 6288 or christina.storey@zsl.org

Penguin Waddle

- Register for the event at www.zsl.org/penguinwaddle

- Saturday 18 April from 8:30am

- For ages 10 and below

- All Penguin Waddlers have to be accompanied by an adult

Key Times

- 8:30am

Gates open at the ZSL Fast Track entrance (Map will be supplied in the fundraising pack). The main shop and Terrace Restaurant will be open at this time.

- 9:15am

Penguin Waddle takes place

- 9:40am

Penguin Waddle finishes (approx.)

- 9:50am

Presenters present prizes for best dressed penguin and highest fundraiser and short talk on Penguins

- 10:00am

Penguin Beach opens to the public and you are free to enjoy ZSL London Zoo for the remainder of the day

Fundraising

As a Penguin Waddler, participants are pledging to raise a minimum of £20 for ZSL. With Penguin Beach as England's largest Penguin Pool, funds raised will go to keeping ZSL London Zoo's penguins happy all year round and to supporting the conservation of penguins in the wild. With climate change, fisheries, disease and pollution, ZSL is working to understand how these threats affect penguins so that together we can work for wildlife and mitigate the negative effect these factors have on penguins in the wild.

Entry fees

Zoological Society of London (ZSL)

Founded in 1826, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is an international scientific, conservation and educational charity whose mission is to promote and achieve the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. Our mission is realised through our ground-breaking science, our active conservation projects in more than 70 countries and our two Zoos, ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. For more information visitwww.zsl.org

Penguin Beach

Penguin Beach at ZSL London Zoo takes visitors from the heart of London to the heart of a South American beach. Featuring a 1,200 sqm pool holding more than 500,000 litres of water, a penguin nursery and a replica of ZSL's penguin conservation station in Antarctica, the exhibit is home to a colony of two different penguin species. www.zsl.org/penguinbeach

European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP)

The EEP is a tool used by Zoos, aquariums and wildlife parks across Europe to manage conservation breeding programmes. Each species is managed by a studbook, and the studbook holder is responsible for pairing well-matched animals and recording details such as birth place and parentage to ensure a healthy and diverse population of animals.