HOKKAIDO, Japan (Bernama-Kyodo): Penguins at Asahiyama Zoo in Hokkaido, northern Japan, waddled through the snow on Dec 11 during a 'rehearsal' ahead of their daily winter strolls, which run through mid-March, Kyodo News Agency reported.
During the rehearsal, 15 king penguins teetered and tottered along a 500-metre-long snow-covered path.
Grace Lin, a visitor from Singapore, remarked that it was her first time watching penguins from such a close distance.
The strolls are intended to help keep the birds fit during winter, taking advantage of penguins' habit of walking in groups to look for food, zookeepers said.
"We hope this would help spur deeper interest in penguins," said Chiharu Tanaka, a staff member at Asahiyama.
The 'penguin walk' event, a popular attraction for zoo visitors, takes place daily from Dec 12 until the season ends around mid-March. - Bernama-Kyodo
