The penguin news you need: Even penguins like ‘Pingu’
What do we get when we read the news nowadays? News about the surging pandemic, political upheaval, natural disasters. Every once in a while it’s important to read news that’s a bit more lighthearted & positive. Luckily, we’ve got just the story for you.
What’s black & white & cute all over? Well, penguins of course! Penguins are already adorable – but get ready for them to become even cuter. Check out this heartwarming story about a penguin who loves to binge watch T.V. shows.
Pierre the penguin
No, we’re not talking about the adorable children’s book Pierre the Penguin – we’re talking about an actual rockhopper penguin named Pierre who lives at Perth Zoo. Pierre is a Northern Rockhopper, which is an endangered species.
After Pierre bravely swam all the way from the South Atlantic Ocean washing up on a South-west beach, Perth Zoo has taken the penguin in to give him care & rehabilitation. Perth Zoo’s veterinary team is working hard to ensure his recovery. After Pierre regains his health, they plan to return him to the wild.
Pierre is less than a year old and currently isn’t waterproof. Likely due to harsh environmental conditions, Pierre has encountered some feather moulting problems. Because of these problems, Pierre has been feeling a bit blue lately.
Additionally, the zookeepers explained, “Pierre is by himself in the vet department and does get a bit lonely at times.” However, the team was able to find a clever way to cheer him up.
'Pierre' the penguin has become iPad-savvy during a stint of rehabilitation for feather moulting problems at Perth Zoo. He enjoys watching rockhopper penguin documentaries, livestreams of rockhopper penguins and 'Pingu'. https://t.co/8ftPfFYTVQ #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/6n0IkydVTN
— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) August 25, 2020
T.V. addict
To remedy Pierre’s low spirits, zookeepers shared, “to make his life a bit more enriching we’ve decided to get other rockhoppers online for him to watch.” Apparently they have an iPad just for the rockhopper penguin so that he can watch his favorite T.V. shows to his heart’s content.
One of Pierre’s favorite shows is Pingu, a children’s cartoon series about the life of a young penguin. It’s easy to tell that Pierre is an avid binge-watcher – he can’t take his eyes away from the screen.
While he seems over-the-moon for Pingu, the clay-mation penguin, he also enjoys watching live penguins. Pierre loves nature documentaries about penguins, and he also views live streams of the flightless birds at Kansas City Zoo in America. According to the zookeeper, “Pierre’s been enjoying watching them and seeing them in their little habitats at their zoo.”
What is Pingu?
If you’ve never heard of Pingu, you’re missing out. Pingu is a clumsy penguin living with his family on an Antarctic polar ice cap. With endlessly hilarious segments following Pingu’s mischievous adventures, it’s no wonder why Pierre is a fan of Pingu. But you don’t have to be a kid or a penguin to laugh at episodes of Pingu.
The dialogue on the show is unintelligible – even a penguin like Pierre couldn’t pick up on their goofy noises. But who knows – maybe someday Pierre will start ‘noot nooting’ just like Pingu. Perhaps when he’s released back into the wild, he’ll be able to rave about the show to his penguin friends.
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If you’re interested in Pierre’s rehabilitation, be sure to look into his story further at Perth Zoo and follow him on social media.
