With the colder weather finally coming, the penguins at the Basel Zoo will soon be resuming their daily walks through the zoo (weather permitting)! The zoo’s gentoo penguins and king penguins spend most of their year in their climate-controlled enclosure because they are very sensitive to heat—their bodies are so well insulated in adaptation to their frigid natural habitats that they can easily overheat in warmer temperatures. However, they do like to explore, so to give them some exercise, the zoo keepers like to take them for a walk around the zoo on days when the weather is appropriate. This typically is done from November through February on days when the temperature is below 10^oC and when it’s not raining too strongly.

The decision whether the penguin walk will take place is made on a day-to-day basis after careful consideration. If it does take place, it will start around 11:00 at the bridge of the Vivarium where the penguins are housed. So if you would like to take a walk with the penguins, visit the zoo on cold mornings in the coming months!

https://www.zoobasel.ch/en/zoobesuch/r/5/fuetterung-and-pinguinspaziergang/

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