Europe's oldest penguin has 36th birthday in Cornwall

Paradise Park in Hayle marked Spneb's big day on Tuesday (April 16).

Spneb is the oldest Humboldt’s Penguin in Europe.

At 36, the elderly penguin is more than twice the age of a Humboldt’s Penguin's life expectancy, which ranges between ten to 15 years.

Humboldt penguins are native to South America.

After arriving in Cornwall in May 1988, from Birdworld Farnham, and spending most of her life in Cornwall, Spneb has benefitted from veterinary care at the wildlife park to help her through to her old age.

Her unusual name was picked by keepers after she underwent treatment for a dangerous fungal disease called Aspergillosis in 2007.

At the time she was being treated with a drug 'Sp' using a nebuliser, or a 'neb' - eventually giving her the unusual name.

At the other end of the spectrum, a 12 day old penguin with keeper Archie (Image: Paradise Park / SWNS)

Spneb's keeper Becky Waite told the BBC the special penguin "still has a boyfriend" - and she has become "quite wise" in her old age.

Becky said: "In captivity, they can be a bit older because when things stop working we can give them anything to help them along.

"She likes to check everybody out and she makes sure that the group is keeping out of mischief."

It is the latest in a series of big birthdays at Paradise Park, with the park itself celebrating its 50th anniversary last year in 2023.