Filminspires thieves to pick up a penguin
A BABY penguin stolen from a zoo will die unless he is returned to his mother. The four-month- old chick called Toga was snatched on Saturday night from an enclosure at Amazon World Zoo Park on the Isle of Wight.
Keepers believe he was taken by thieves inspired by the successful documentary film March of the Penguins.
The black- footed penguin, known as a Jackass because he makes a noise like a mule, is a foot tall and still has his juvenile brown and white plumage.
The only penguin chick at the zoo, he was still being fed by his mother, Kyala.
Police believe the thieves climbed two 6ft walls then scaled an 8ft fence to get into the penguin enclosure before snatching the bird, which is worth £1,000.
Toga’s keeper only discovered he was missing on Sunday morning when he didn’t pop his head out of the nest.
Last night, zoo owner Derek Curtis blamed the appeal of March of the Penguins for the theft.
‘ Perhaps because of the film people are thinking this is the ideal pet to have and someone has decided to have it,’ he said.
‘ I think what’s happened is somebody has said “ I would like a penguin for Christmas” and someone has stolen it. Nothing looks nicer than a cuddly baby penguin.’
March of the Penguins follows emperor penguins on their hazardous journey to their mating grounds deep in the Antarctic.
The males walk day and night in temperatures of – 80c and endure blizzards and gale-force winds in their quest to meet a female. The documentary, narrated by Morgan Freeman, has been embraced by the Christian Right in America as a celebration of family values.
Mr Curtis added: ‘We are hoping and praying to get the baby penguin back within three or four days or it will die. I personally think this has been done by two people.
‘One got over the fence, grabbed it, put it in a sack and handed it to an accomplice.
‘I don’t think they are deliberately going to hurt Toga but they don’t realise what they have taken on. It’s not going to survive because it’s still eating regurgitated food.’
Police spokesman Claire Robson said: ‘Toga is not as cuddly as he looks and will bite when frightened.’