Penguins Are Back at Riga Zoo

For the second year running, penguins are visiting Riga Zoo. Hmm, let us hope that such well-planned coincidences don't turn into pleasant regularities (one would so like to believe they will). This time it is 14 Humboldt penguins, who will be here until the end of September.

Taking advantage of the City Festival period and the Striped Days entry discount (normally Ls 4 for an adult, on these days Ls 3), we paid a visit to the flippered ones (the other exhibits held little interest for known reasons). Having spent about an hour in the company of the penguins and the delighted Latvian-, Estonian-, Lithuanian-, and Russian-speaking visitors, we documented the penguins' visit to Riga.

Quite a few witty comments and questions from the younger visitors were to be heard. Children are usually far more open observers and more genuine in their expressions of joy and curiosity. One little one, watching the penguins' minimal movement, enquired of the parents: "Do the penguins not move because they can see they're being photographed?" Or also - "Those penguins are so sad because someone forgot to fill their pool with water."

But it was not only the little ones who were delighted - the adults too tried to film or take a photograph with the most curious and active of all the penguins, who had waddled up onto a windowsill and pressed himself flat against the large window pane. Interestingly, on closer observation, each penguin (much like a person) has its own temperament, character, and behavioural traits. So there was the most active and charismatic one who "carried" the whole show - swimming, strutting from one side to the other, communicating with the visitors at the large window. Another was a follower who at first watched motionlessly, then tried to imitate the first one's behaviour.

There was also the vain penguin, who cared greatly about his appearance. He was extraordinarily tidy, did not waddle about on the dirty floor, but sat the whole time on the clean edge of the pool. Every now and then he would stretch, constantly preening his feathers, keeping aloof from the others and proudly displaying himself to all visitors - now turning one side, now the other, now amusingly wiggling his little tail.

The company also included the intellectual penguin, who likewise kept to himself but demonstratively showed that all the bustle of this world did not concern him. Having turned to face the wall, he spent a long time intently studying the dial of the water meter, then drew conclusions about the many coils of the yellow hose, then simply sank into contemplation of the wall's eclectic colour scheme.

There was also a pair of ordinary penguins, as well as one chubby, already quite heavily moulting penguin, who had bashfully retreated into the corner of the room and frozen there, evidently until feeding time. Some of the dozing penguins paid no attention whatsoever to the presence of the visitors, who impatiently knocked on the glass from time to time, hoping to provoke at least some reaction. Some foolish people thought that their remark "they're not even alive" would somehow wound the penguins' self-pride and they would start moving. Not a chance - that trick only works on people, who immediately rush to defend their Ego and instantly prove they are alive.

For those who cannot be there in person, here are a few photographs and one video, which seems to have turned out rather well directed and reflects the true atmosphere of the penguin enclosure. Enjoy!