The perfect match: supermarket chain adopts penguins to help UK zoo.
Zoos around the world have been hit particularly hard by lockdown measures and, despite the UK government allowing zoos and safari parks to re-open shortly, Chester Zoo has had a tough time. After all, you can't furlough an animal, they have no idea what the hell is going on in the world and they still get hungry every day!
Last week, the zoo announced it was facing an uncertain future as a result of lockdown, and appealed to the public to help with donations.
The zoo was surprised and delighted when one of the country’s food retailers came forward to offer a helping hand in a rather unconventional way. In a bid to alleviate the zoo’s financial strain, the supermarket chain, Iceland, has adopted Chester Zoo’s entire rookery of Humboldt penguins. In arguably the most obvious sponsorship deal of all time, Iceland and the zoo's penguins are a perfect match.
Adopting animals is a way of providing funds to a zoo or animal rescue, which is what Chester Zoo desperately needs to survive. What’s more, Iceland’s donation will help the zoo give the penguins the best life possible.
“We’re proud to be able to lend them our support both through the adoption of the Humboldt penguins on behalf of our colleagues and by lobbying in support of zoos being allowed to reopen soon. The conservation work undertaken by the zoo is vital and along with the park itself reopening it is incredibly important that this amazing work is able to continue,” said Richard Walker, Iceland’s managing director.