World’s most popular penguin crowned in coronation ceremony

By Sarah Ward via SWNS

The "world's most popular penguin" was crowned in a coronation ceremony.

Spike, a king penguin, who lives at Birdland Park and Gardens in the Cotswolds, won Penguins International "March of The Penguins Madness" challenge earlier this year.

The competition saw entrants from as far afield as Australia, the United States of America and Canada.

Spike competed against an African penguin, Mai, from the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa in Hawaii.

Organizers had to extend voting due to their website crashing.

On Friday, Birdland, which is home to England’s only colony of king penguins,
presented Spike with his winner’s trophy in his own coronation ceremony.

Spike was also given a throne fit for a king for the weekend, providing a perfect selfie spot for visitors to pose next to the Penguin Shore enclosure.

The trophy was presented by Spike’s keeper Alistair Keen who has raised him from an egg after he was rejected by his parents.

Alistair said: “It’s been absolutely overwhelming to witness the support for Spike from around the world.

"He’s obviously a particular favorite with me, but for him to have made quite such a global impact is incredible.

“Spike is a real personality, and we all have a fantastic bond with him, having been hand-reared by us in 2007 after being abandoned.

"As well as being great news for Spike, the worldwide awareness created by the competition is also incredibly important for penguin conservation."