I heard this second-hand but I choose to believe it, OKAY? So the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago apparently has, or had, an exhibit which allowed patrons to get a really close look at the penguins.
So close that a four-year-old kid could pick one up.
And stash it in his backpack.
And keep it there for several hours.
And wait until he was halfway home, somewhere around Milwaukee, to announce its presence to his parents.
Who made arrangements to drop off the bird at the Milwaukee Zoo.
March of the penguins, indeed!
Photo: Shedd Aquarium
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Definitely a fun story, but don’t you think the parents would have SMELLED the penguin in the car?
Really? That would be something, for sure. Can you imagine? Poor parents. (Poor penguin!)
It must have been a little penguin.
I had the same thought as Summer – it must have been a mighty clean penguin. My mother-in-law used to volunteer at a zoo penguin exhibit, and they (whatever combination of breeds) were *stinky*!
I like to think it was true too. Maybe the rest of the penguins will band together for motor transport as well.
A couple of years ago, two teen brothers swiped some koalas from the San Francisco Zoo. And managed to keep them “hidden” from the parents for far too many days. After much angst and pleading from the Zoo — these koalas will DIE without their leaves — the boys gave up the koalas.
For the briefest of moments, I thought young Opie had taken it.
Whoa. That’s a big change from the usual “I’m hungry!” “I have to pee!” “How much longer?!” monologue emanating from the backseat.
Jealous. I made big plans to steal a penguin from the Columbia zoo when I was in 2nd grade. Had Mom pack a HUGE lunch in a cooler (because I knew the penguin wouldn’t fit in my lunchbox). But when it came time to do the deed, I couldn’t do it. Turns out, penguins smell.
Am I the only one to immediately flash to the Penguins of Madagascar? Maybe it was Kowalski on a secret op.
I could totally see my kids attempting a stunt like that…