- A partially blind penguin named Squid relies on her friend, Penguin, to guide her.
- The squid has cataracts and has trouble seeing, but it is rarely far from the penguin
Penguins are known to be among the most social birds.
But a couple at a bird park in Surrey have formed a particularly close friendship.
A partially blind penguin named Squid relies on her friend, named Penguin, to guide her around her house.
The squid has cataracts and has trouble seeing, but is rarely far from the penguin, especially at feeding time.
“The intuitive behavior observed between the penguin and squid has revealed a remarkable level of empathy and understanding, showing the deep connections that can form within the animal kingdom,” said Polly Branham, living collections manager at Birdworld.
Penguins are known to be among the most social birds. But a couple at a bird park in Surrey have formed a particularly close friendship. A partially blind penguin named Squid relies on her friend, Penguin, to guide her around her house.
From their first days as chicks, the close-knit duo surprised keepers with their remarkable relationship at Birdworld in Surrey.
The squid, often disoriented during feeding hours, depend on the Penguin’s unwavering calm.
Being close to the guardians, Penguin inadvertently became Squid’s beacon, guiding her around the compound and acting as her eyes.
Penguin’s journey began during the pandemic, facing an unknown illness that required hands-on care from the Birdworld team.
This challenging start made him exceptionally shy, but he overcame these obstacles, grew stronger, and eventually integrated with the colony.
When Squid was born, he displayed the typical liveliness and voice traits of a penguin chick, despite developing cataracts at only six weeks old, a unique occurrence within his otherwise healthy family.
Being close to the guardians, the Penguin inadvertently became Squid’s lighthouse, guiding her around the enclosure and acting as her eyes.
Having been raised within the colony, Squid honed her skills alongside her peers.
While venturing out of the nest, Penguin was also embracing his new found strength on the beach, learning the essence of being a penguin.
Their simultaneous voyages of discovery led to an extraordinary relationship, in which Squid’s boldness was perfectly complemented by Penguin’s patience, making them an inseparable duo.
Senior penguin keeper Natalie Marshall said: “We didn’t expect Penguin and Squid to form such a close bond, and it’s clear that Penguin’s resilience significantly influenced Squid’s self-confidence.”