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Penguin in zoo strolls into lions' den

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A foraging Emperor penguin preens on snow-covered sea ice around the base of the active volcano Mount Erebus, near McMurdo Station, the largest U.S. Science base in Antarctica, December 9, 2006. REUTERS/Deborah Zabarenko

A foraging Emperor penguin preens on snow-covered sea ice around the base of the active volcano Mount Erebus, near McMurdo Station, the largest U.S. Science base in Antarctica, December 9, 2006.

Credit: Reuters/Deborah Zabarenko

BERLIN | Thu Jan 6, 2011 12:55pm EST

BERLIN (Reuters) - A resourceful baby penguin took advantage of Germany's wintry weather to give her minders the slip and embark on a tour of the zoo before waddling into the lions' den.

A visitor spotted the African penguin, born in September, taking a stroll in the lion enclosure but the animal was lucky as the lions were asleep inside rather than braving the icy weather outside, Muenster zoo said on its website.

It took keepers a day to get the penguin out of the den, luring her out with a trail of herrings, the statement said.

The escape gave the penguin, up to then only known as number 459, a name. Her minder now calls her Leona, the zoo said.

(Reporting by Annika Breidthardt, editing by Paul Casciato)
Oddly Enough
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Comments (6)
oldtimer78 wrote:
If a baby penguin can get into the lions’ enclosure, surely a human toddler also could have done so. Where is the security at this Zoo?

Jan 06, 2011 2:02pm EST  --  Report as abuse
AdeleInTexas wrote:
oldtimer78, do you REALLY think human toddlers have ample opportunity away from the watchful eyes of Mother and Daddy to wander around into the lions’ den at a zoo? True, children have gotten too close to cages and even taken falls at zoos, but it’s rare; and, adults have deliberately scaled walls to penetrate dangerous enclosures, but I don’t recall ever reading about toddlers “wandering” around zoos in this manner.

Jan 06, 2011 4:21pm EST  --  Report as abuse
landloper wrote:
From a translation of the more-detailed story on the German zoo’s website: The baby penguin traversed part-frozen water basins to escape to the visitors’ path unnoticed by the zookeepers. Then, performing a feat that is easy for a penguin, she scaled towering snow-covered slopes and leaped onto the ice in the lion pit.

I think these details put the story in perspective.

Jan 06, 2011 8:25pm EST  --  Report as abuse
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