Royal Zoological Society of Scotland – The NEN

Guard of Honour for world’s most prestigious penguin!

A Guard of Honour for Sir Nils Olav – the most famous king penguin in the world – as he is promoted at a prestigious award ceremony at Edinburgh Zoo

His Majesty the King’s Guard Band and Drill Team of Norway, who are performing at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo this year, visited the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo to promote and bestow a unique honour upon the resident king penguin, Sir Nils Olav.

The world-famous King penguin, who is already a Brigadier, now has the grand title of Major General Sir Nils Olav III, Baron of the Bouvet Islands and official mascot of His Majesty the King’s Guard of Norway.

Following a carefully choreographed parade past His Majesty the King’s Guard Band and Drill Team of Norway, Sir Nils was awarded his new badge of honour at a special ceremony at the wildlife conservation charity’s Penguins Rock. The ceremony was attended by over 160 uniformed soldiers of His Majesty the King of Norway’s Guard who are taking part in The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Show, Stories.

Jason Barrett, Chief Operating Officer at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “The theme for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo this year is Stories and what better connection to our Show than the story of Sir Nils Olav and his rise through the ranks.

“His Majesty’s Kings Guard of Norway bring a rich history, honour, and tradition to our cast and have been a fan favourite for years. Having acts like the Kings Guard showcases the cross-cultural component found within the Tattoo and is what makes it so unique among entertainment offerings. On behalf of the entire cast and crew of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, I am delighted to congratulate Sir Nils Olav III on his promotion to Major General.”

David Field, Chief Executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said: “We are honoured to host His Majesty the King’s Guard Band and Drill Team of Norway once again as they return to Edinburgh Zoo to bestow this prestigious new title upon our king penguin, Sir Nils Olav.

“It is a very proud moment and represents the ongoing close collaboration between our two countries, Scotland, and Norway.”

Staff Sergeant Fredrik Gresseth from His Majesty the King’s Guard Band and Drill Team of Norway added: “Sir Nils Olav is the mascot of His Majesty the King’s Guard and was adopted during one of the Band and Drill team’s participation at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

“Te tradition of sending Nils Olav and his family fish, Christmas cards and visiting him during the unit’s participation at the Tattoo have been an important part of the Battalion’s history.

“His promotion this August, for good conduct and for being a superb example for the rest of the penguins at the Edinburgh Zoo, is a milestone in his career as mascot for the guard. The guardsmen of the Drill team look forward to this rare occasion of being inspected by their own mascot, while the band will set the atmosphere worthy of a knighted King Penguin!”

The regal, black, white and yellow bird is the mascot of His Majesty the King of Norway’s Guard, and his very own story dates back as far as 1972, when a king penguin at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo was named after two people: Major Nils Egelien, who organised his adoption by RZSS Edinburgh Zoo in 1972, and the then-King of Norway, King Olav.

The Guardsmen visit Sir Nils at the zoo every few years while they are in the city performing at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and give him a promotion.

Since his adoption in 1972, he has worked his way up the ranks, starting at Mascot, before being promoted to Corporal in 1982, Sergeant in 1987, Regimental Sergeant Major in 1993, Honourable Regimental Sergeant Major in 2001, Colonel-in-Chief in 2005, Knighthood in 2008, Brigadier Sir in 2016 and now General Major in 2023.

Tickets are still available for the Tattoo, that runs until 26 August 2023 and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone on 0131 225 1188. Tickets for the 2024 Show, Journeys, will be on general sale from 28 August 2023.

Meerkat’s Out of the Bag! Cheeky creatures coming to Edinburgh Children’s Hospital

Children at an Edinburgh hospital will soon be learning important conservation lessons from some very unusual teachers – a mob of meerkats based in an outdoor classroom within the grounds!

The first programme of its kind outside of Australia, the meerkats from The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo will reside at NHS Lothian’s Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) and be at the heart of an extensive learning and discovery experience.

Thanks to a partnership between Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), NHS Lothian and RZSS, the inquisitive creatures will give young patients, particularly those staying long term, the opportunity to learn all about nature and the environment.

Edinburgh Zoo currently delivers a weekly programme of educational activities at the RHCYP, including projects on penguins, pandas and tigers, all of which encourage children to think about their place in the world and the importance of wildlife within it.

The meerkat enclosure will replicate their natural habitat and zookeepers from Edinburgh Zoo will care for them and provide meerkat educational sessions while on site.

Roslyn Neely, CEO of ECHC, said: “Some children are too unwell or have been in hospital for so long that they don’t have the opportunity to engage with the outdoors, or interact with animals.

“Many of the children who visit the hospital care passionately about nature and the environment. Our programme will allow them to learn from experts while getting up close to the best teachers of all – the meerkats themselves.

“The wellbeing benefits of engaging with animals and using nature in the healing process are well documented, and there’s great excitement within the hospital in anticipation of our furry friends arriving.”

David Field, chief executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said, “Our conservation education programme has already been a great success and now we are taking this incredible next step by creating the only meerkat enclosure at a children’s hospital outside of Australia, making this a first in the UK and Europe.

“Being close to nature and animals can have a tremendous impact on people’s mental and physical health and wellbeing. We also know that people and communities are more likely to help protect nature when they have had the opportunity to connect with our natural world.

“We are really looking forward to bringing a group of meerkats to live at the hospital next year and seeing the impact this will have for the children and their families.”

Allister Short, Service Director, Women’s and Children’s, NHS Lothian, said: “We are really excited about this innovative programme coming to the RHCYP.

“Meerkats have been introduced into many children’s hospitals in Australia and this unique concept encourages children to learn and be inspired, particularly when they’re in hospital for long periods of time.

“We want to brighten up our patients’ days in an educational way and we know that the meerkats will be an exciting addition to the RHCYP.”

The programme is currently in the early stages of planning and it is hoped the meerkats will move into their new home at the RHCYP from 2024.

CityFibre joins the herd as partner for Edinburgh Zoo’s Giraffe About Town trail

CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre platform, has partnered with the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo as community outreach partner for the charity’s Giraffe About Town trail.

The public art event will see more than 40 eight-foot-tall giraffe sculptures go on display across Edinburgh in summer 2022, with each model being designed and decorated by local artists and community groups. After the trail, the sculptures will be auctioned off to raise funds to support RZSS wildlife conservation projects in Scotland and across the world.

CityFibre’s support of the trail comes as it is investing £100m to roll out a full fibre network within reach of almost every home and business across the city. As community outreach partner, CityFibre will have its very own giraffe sculpture as part of the herd, and its vital support will allow RZSS to work with seven community groups across the city to decorate their own small giraffe sculptures as part of the schools and communities trail.

Activities with the community groups will include an inclusive creativity workshop with the zoo’s outreach team. The groups will also receive free access to the Giraffe About Town activity portal, an inclusive digital resource supporting the trail. Meanwhile, CityFibre and Edinburgh Zoo will work together in spring 2022 to identify the potential community groups.

Paul Wakefield, CityFibre’s City Manager for Edinburgh, said: “We are working across the city to deliver our Full Fibre network to homes and businesses, ensuring that communities across Edinburgh can access the fastest, most reliable broadband available.

“As part of this, we are getting the chance to meet so many of Edinburgh’s fantastic community groups – a number of which we will be able to support through this fantastic partnership.

“Improving social inclusion is something we are passionate about, and this theme is at the heart of the Giraffe About Town trail. Technology is a key enabler here, so we are really excited to be working with an artist on our own giraffe and being a key part of this trail, which I’m sure will capture the hearts and minds of both locals and visitors to our capital.

“You could even say that, through this project, our Full Fibre rollout programme will reach new heights!”

David Field, chief executive at RZSS, added: “We are thrilled to have CityFibre on board as community outreach partner for Giraffe About Town, giving us an opportunity to support vital community work across the capital.

“It is particularly exciting to partner with an organisation working to connect communities. Fast, reliable full fibre broadband will open up a whole new world for many of Edinburgh’s residents.

“The past 18 months have been incredibly challenging but they have shown us what can be achieved when we pull together. Our tall trail is set to transform our city and encourage our communities to get out and about and fall in love with Edinburgh all over again.”

Edinburgh residents can find out more about CityFibre’s build, check whether services are live in their area and register their interest by visiting www.cityfibre.com/PR-Register