Feathered Fridays: New Zealand’s Penguathalon

What do you do when you live in a country home to nine of the world’s 16 species of penguins? Host a Penguathalon, of course!

At Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter (looks something like our SeaWorld) in Orakei, New Zealand, some 80 penguins partook in the world’s first Penguathalon, an event that allowed king and gentoo penguins to go head-to-head (or rather, flipper to flipper) in soccer, surfing, waddle races, Frisbee, and swing ball.

According to the Telegraph, the event “is about more than just delighting visitors. It showcases a variety of the enrichment activities developed by the curatorial team to ensure the physical, mental and emotional well-being of the birds in its 80-strong colony.”

The Penguathalon was very popular, and Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter hopes to host the event next year.

Video: courtesy of the Telegraph.co.uk