Polar attraction! Penguins meet polar bear for the first time as they take a field trip around their zoo in the snow
- The seven penguins waddle through the snow at Saint Louis Zoo in Missouri
- They approach the polar bear named Kali, who hails from the Arctic, at his pool
- Group made of two king penguins and five gentoo penguins native to Antarctic
This is the heartwarming moment a group of penguins take a ‘field trip’ around a zoo in the snow – and meet with the neighbouring polar bear.
The seven penguins, who are native to the Antarctic region, were taken on a winter tour to visit the polar bear named Kali, who hails from the Arctic, at Saint Louis Zoo in Missouri.
The occasion saw the two species, who hail from opposite poles of the planet and would never have encountered each other in the wild, meet for the very first time.
The group, which consisted of two king penguins called Ethel and Elliot and five gentoo penguins named CJ, Oshie, Sunny, Double, and Trouble, also visited two grizzly bears called Huck and Finley during their visit.
The polar bear named Kali, who hails from the Arctic, meets the penguin, who is native to the Antarctic region, for the very first time at Saint Louis Zoo in Missouri
The group, which consisted of two king penguins called Ethel and Elliot and five gentoo penguins named CJ, Oshie, Sunny, Double, and Trouble, take a walk through the snow
Marija Elden, the zoological manager of birds at the zoo, said the friendly penguins ‘really enjoyed the adventure.’
She added that Kali, Huck and Finley were very curious and found the surprise visit from their penguin neighbors ‘enriching’.
During the clip, which was filmed on January 27, the penguins waddle through the snow and take in their surroundings as a zookeeper keeps a watchful eye over them.
The group then approach the polar bear Kali at the glass side of his pool and the animals gaze at each other with curiosity.
Elsewhere a group of penguins walk over to the two grizzly bears and watch the creatures walk back and forth inside their enclosure.
Ms Elden said: ‘The penguins normally reside indoors at the climate-controlled penguin and puffin coast habitat, but they are given the option to participate in spontaneous winter walks.’
The penguins waddle through the snow and take in their surroundings during the tour of the zoo
A group of penguins walk over to the grizzly bears Huck and Finley at the Missouri zoo
In a statement the zoo wrote: ‘Today, our king penguins Ethel and Elliot, along with gentoo penguins CJ, Oshie, Sunny, Double, and Trouble, took a quick field trip in the snow to visit their neighbors, polar bear Kali and grizzly bears Huck and Finley.
‘Through the cooperation of our Bird and Carnivore animal care teams, our penguins were able to get up close to see the polar and grizzly bears. The penguins willingly approached.
‘These penguins reside indoors at Penguin & Puffin Coast and are given the option to participate in spontaneous winter walks that are enriching for the birds.
‘The walks are not pre-scheduled and do not occur on any regular basis. King and gentoo penguins are native to the Antarctic region.’