Flop turns 1!

There’s a very special birthday girl on site today – as Flop, our young Humboldt penguin who lost her waddle, turns one!

And what an eventful year she’s had!

Since we first introduced you to our special penguin, a lot has happened – as Flop went viral!

Her story has been seen and heard around the globe, on television, radio, online and in print, as our bird team told her special story about how she learned to walk again, thanks to their perseverance, dedication, innovative techniques and support and advice from zoo experts from the other side of the world!

And recently, she and our four other hand reared youngsters, Michael, Jaws and Atticus and Horlick returned to the main penguin colony to re-join our other Humboldts and have all settled in straight away.

And after making sure Flop knew how to enter and exit the empty pool by herself, with the lure of some sprats – you can see Keeper Kriss do this in the video footage – keepers have now left her to it.

Section Leader Nicola Wright, said: “Flop will still have a slight hunch to her waddle, but apart from that she’s absolutely fine and we’re not having to give her any additional support or treat her in anyway, which is exactly what we wanted the outcome to be.”