Pringle and Widget, two Humboldt penguins from Heythrop Zoological Gardens, came to Avonbourne and did a meet-and-greet with the residents. 

Handler, Aaron, taught us lots about the birds and we had lots of questions lined up.  Humboldt penguins are originally from South America and can live for 20-25 years in captivity, though our avian visitors today are much younger. Pringle is twelve and Widget a little younger at nine.  They generally weigh around 4.5 kilos though Pringle is a big bird at 5.5kg!

Residents loved watching the characteristic waddle as the penguins explored our coffee shop, and both Pringle and Widget were available for stroking and sitting on laps.  They earned their sardine snacks, and can eat up to a kilogram of fish in a single day.

The experience was planned by Activities Co-Ordinators, Alix Williams-Duffield and Jane Mealing, who were delighted to see the joy on residents’ faces.  At OSJCT, we like to support our residents to keep up with their hobbies and interests, and also to try new things, and holding a penguin was certainly a new thing for most of us!  Alix and Jane are already looking ahead to another year of adventures and fun for the residents in 2023.