UK's oldest Humboldt penguin celebrates 35th birthday

Paradise Park in Hayle gave Spneb some extra fuss on her special day

Author: Sophie SquiresPublished 19th Apr 2023

The UK's oldest Humboldt penguin - who lives in Cornwall - has just turned 35.

Spneb celebrated her birthday at Paradise Park in Hayle on Sunday (16 April).

She was given a with a three-tier ice cake decorated with fish made by Keeper Archie.

Humboldt penguins, which are native to South Africa, typically have a lifespan of 15-20 years.

Spneb's name is a fusion of the two types of medication she was on during some intense treatment back in 2007, when she developed a fungal disease called Aspergillosis. Her name consists of a drug 'Sp' and a nebuliser 'neb'.

It took four months to treat but apart from some minor scaring to her lungs she recovered well.

Paradise Park recently celebrated their 50th anniversary and also welcomed a new penguin chick.

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