Penguin goes shopping

[hstarr]

[tagurit]

How cute! I love penguins.

[NorthernLite]

West Edmonton Mall has penguins in their animal park and every now and then they let them out for a stroll in the mall. I was waiting by the water park when two of them went waddling past me. The trainers were watching from a little ways away to see peoples' reactions.

[LizzyBean]

OMG, that's so cute. His backpack is Pingu, a stop motion penguin cartoon.

[chillas]

A few months back my employer had a day where they got the Columbus Zoo to bring in some animals...



I got to pet this little guy. It totally made my entire year.

[Hero_Mike]

Watching that lone penguin waddle down the street like he belongs there is just surreal. I wish interesting stuff happened around me.

[Avril]

I see he doesn't pay for his fish. Deadbeat.

I know I've seen video of this penguin before somewhere.

[tagurit]

^ Lest ye forget, this is a penguin stand-in.

Originally Posted by chillas

I got to pet this little guy. It totally made my entire year.

What do they feel like? Do they just feel like a bird? Can you feel the structure of their feathers or are they more fluffy? I'd love to pet a penguin.

[chillas]

Originally Posted by tagurit

^ Lest ye forget, this is a penguin stand-in.What do they feel like? Do they just feel like a bird? Can you feel the structure of their feathers or are they more fluffy? I'd love to pet a penguin.

This one was still a baby and had fluff. It's hard to describe. It was very thick and very soft. Almost like a wool. You could tell just by touching it how warm it would have been.

[tagurit]

Ah. Thank you for that, chillas. Just as I'd imagined.

[Penguin!]

My ex SIL worked for the Denver Zoo for a while so we got to go in and feed giraffes, a rhino, the gorillas and spent some time with the cutest, sweetest little penguin. She was full grown. What I found really interesting is that their "wings" were really hard. Because of the shape and size of them, I always thought they would be a bit floppy, but soo not the case. Her feathers were so small and after feeling them, it is easy to see how the water would just roll off her back.
A little OT, but we also got to spend some time with the flamingoes. I'm horribly terrified of birds, but the flamingoes were so much fun. There is a spot under the wing that if you scratch it, they snuggle up to you. At least the ones I met did!

[franjava]

ZOMGCUTE! I want a penguin!!!! If it can survive Thailand, it can survive Waco, right?

[Elbe]

Wing, Claw, and Fang from 1946 shows a similar penguin shopping trip (At about 3:33 in the video). I imagine, however, that it's a lot more dangerous for a wandering penguin now than back then.

[kajerayn]

Chillas, I am completely jealous. One that your employer does something like that and two that you got to pet a freakin penguin. I mean how awesome is that?

[TripleAAA]

Originally Posted by kajerayn

Chillas, I am completely jealous. One that your employer does something like that and two that you got to pet a freakin penguin. I mean how awesome is that?

That's just what I was thinking!!! Maybe my company would be more impressed with our numbers and scores after they did something like that!!!

[Lainie]

I don't work where Chillas does, but one of my previous employers was visited twice by animals from the Columbus zoo's education program. In our case, it was because we'd participated in, and won a booth decorating contest at, an event called Boo at the Zoo.

We didn't get to see baby penguins. I did get to pet a Geoffrey's cat, though.

[tagurit]

Originally Posted by franjava

ZOMGCUTE! I want a penguin!!!! If it can survive Thailand, it can survive Waco, right?

I think Thailand is hot and humid, more tropical. Waco might be too dry. I'll take that penguin for you.

[Avril]

I knew that penguin looked familiar.

Another video. This gives us more info about the penguin, and his name (Lala).

[tagurit]

Originally Posted by franjava

ZOMGCUTE! I want a penguin!!!! If it can survive Thailand, it can survive Waco, right?

Wait a second. He's in Japan. I knew he was in Japan and I went right along with you. Bad franjava!

I love that penguin. Thanks for the video with different narration, Avril.

[bthyb]

Why did they take this penguin out of his natural habitat to live in a completely foreign climate? How is that even remotely okay to do? Cute doesn't get a pass.