There are p-p-plenty of penguins at ZSL London Zoo in our stunning Penguin Beach exhibit – England’s biggest penguin pool!
Penguin Beach recreates a South American beach landscape in the heart of London, with stunning colony of Humboldt penguins (and one special rockhopper).
The new exhibit features a large pool with stunning underwater viewing areas so you can see how our flippered friends fly under water. The exhibit’s 1200 sq metre pool holds 450,000 litres of water!
Our large demonstration area turns feeding time in to an even bigger spectacle than before. Penguin Beach Live will feature twice daily feeds where visitors can watch the birds diving for their food.
Penguin Beach is a breeding facility for colonies of Humboldt penguins with a special penguin nursery, including a chick incubation unit and a pool where the youngsters can learn how to swim.
Penguin Facts
Humboldt penguins love cleaning (preening) themselves and their friends. When preening they gather oil from a gland in their tail and then apply this to their feathers – like penguin hair gel!
Humboldt penguins never chew with their mouth open because they don’t chew at all! Instead our penguins swallow their fish head first.
A Humboldt penguin can reach up to 30 miles per hour in the water!
Unlike other penguins, Rockhopper penguins prefer hopping to waddling. You can see Ricky bounding over rocks at Penguin Beach.
Find out more about the inhabitants of Penguin Beach
Catch a glipse of our amazing Penguin Beach exhibit.
Videos
Tune in to this live underwater stream of ZSL London Zoo's Penguin Beach to watch our Humbolt penguins whizzing through the water. Keep your eyes peeled for Ricky the Rockhopper too!
Feeding time is at 11.30, 13.30 and 16.30 BST
Times
- Arrive at meeting point by 13:45 for a 13:50 start
- Meeting point located at the VIP area at Penguin Beach
Please be aware we are unable to offer this experience during July, August and September as this is our penguin's moulting season.
Ticket prices for 2016
- £54 per person Mon - Sun
Terms and conditions
- General admission ticket or valid membership per person must be purchased to be allowed entry into the zoo and take part in the Meet the Penguins experience.
- Please listen to the keeper at all times. (Your safety as well as the welfare of all animals is their upmost priority. As such, the keeper can stop the encounter or ask participants to exit the VIP area at any time should they feel necessary.)
- Appropriate closed toe footwear must be worn for the experience.
- Maximum of 6 participants per experience. Children: must be aged between 8 years and 16 years old and be accompanied by an adult. No more than 2 children per adult. Each adult must also has a valid Meet the Penguins ticket.
- Disabilities: Participants with learning or visual impairment must be accompanied by a carer who takes full responsibility for the adherence of health and safety and welfare protocols. Accompanying carers can enter the VIP area free of charge but must not participate in the experience. Wheelchair access is available for this experience.
- Pregnant/ nursing mothers who have given birth within the previous six months cannot participate for health and safety reasons.
- Cancellations: ZSL reserves the right to alter the experience or cancel on any given day if necessary. We will endeavour to contact you via email at least 24-hours before your visit to notify you of any changes. We recommend checking your emails on the day before your visit in case we have emailed you. If these changes result in you missing the encounter or you are no longer able to attend, please contact us to discuss options. Turning up late will invalidate your ticket and will not be refunded. Bookings cancelled up to 14 days before the date will be eligible for a full refund. Thereafter changes will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of ZSL.
Looking for something for the #penguin lover in your life?
Our new online shop allows you to filter by our most popular animals
(And for the super organised among you... just a reminder that there's only three months to go until Christmas).
Did you know that up to 20 million #seahorses are illegal traded every year?
ZSL conservationists work around the world to help protect this iconic species and its habitat - find out how you can get involved and ensure a world #WithWildlife: https://www.zsl.org/withwildlife-seahorses.
This week's #FanFriday photo just had to be this adorable shot of our white-naped mangabey infant!
Do you love animals and comedy in equal measures? Then join us for an evening of hilarious improvisation as ZSL London Zoo hosts the Comedy Store Players for the first time.
These brave performers will take to the stage to act out stories, songs and scenes based on audience suggestions. Be prepared to cackle more than a hyena as you watch the entertaining moments you’ve created play out.
Buy your tickets here: https://www.zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo/whats-on/roar-with-laughter-presents-...
A huge thank you to everyone who's taken part in this year's Stampede 10k events - your efforts will help fund vital conservation work around the world.
If you'd like to take part in London's wildest 10k, you can register your interest in our next #ZSLStampede event now
www.zsl.org/stampede
Don't all get too excited at once...but if our adorable Sumatran tiger cub Achilles doesn't make your weekend, we don't know what will! #tigercubs
Stunning photographs from this year's ZSL Animal Photography Prize are now on display at the Zoo following an awards ceremony announcing the winners on Thursday evening.
Featuring wildlife from around the world, you've got until February 2017 to admire these beautiful photographs.
See a full list of winners here: https://www.zsl.org/about-us/zsl-animal-photography-prize
Show your love for the Zoo by voting for us in Time Out's #LoveLondonAwards!
Critically-endangered in the wild, mountain chicken frog populations have declined by 90% in the last 10 years in their homelands of Dominica and Montserrat.
September 13 marks the official Mountain Chicken Frog Day and to celebrate we're hosting a day of family-fun and activities this Saturday in honour of this threatened amphibian. Find out more information here: https://www.zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo/whats-on/mountain-chicken-frog-family....
Critically-endangered in the wild, mountain chicken frog populations have declined by 90% in the last 10 years and ZSL conservationists are working to protect this species in the Caribbean.
September 13 marks the official Mountain Chicken Frog Day and to celebrate the Zoo is hosting a special day of family-fun and activities this Saturday in honour of the threatened amphibian. Find out more here: https://www.zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo/whats-on/mountain-chicken-frog-family...