Watch CBS News

Zoo Bringing Back Adorable Penguins On Parade Event

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- There will soon be a lot of waddling and hopping during the weekends at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.

"This is Cakey Wakey. She is 4 months old. And this is Elsa. She is 5 months old."

Dr. Ginger Sturgeon of the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium introduces us to the newest pair of macaroni penguins. She gives the chicks a medical checkup, before they step outdoors for the very first time. Are they ready to face a big new world?

"My guess," say Dr. Sturgeon, "with how active they are now, they may be a little 'trepidatious' right now, but then they're going to bolt."

Adult penguins are ready, but they must wait their turn. The babies are grand marshals of this particular parade. Close behind, king penguins, beaks in the air - and gentoos, with white stripes on their foreheads - maintain their dignity. Poetry in motion:

The penguin is a proper bird.
Fine fashion is his credo.
He's always dressed in formal wear:
a permanent tuxedo.

It's the first Penguin Parade of the winter. Aquatic curator Dwayne Biggs says there are more to come.

"This weekend we're starting the Penguins on Parade," he adds. "Saturdays and Sunday, at 11 a.m. They absolutely love it. They line up, go down the path, and I think they feed off the guests here too, as well."

Elsa seems right at home. But Cakey Wakey seeks reassurance in the hands of head aquarist Katy Wozniak.

"I've been with them since the day they hatched," she explains. So I think she came over to me for like, a comfort."
After all, home is where the herring is.
For more information, visit the zoo's website at this link.

You May Also Be Interested In These Latest News Stories

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.