IN WHAT was a rare case of reality mimicking advertising, gardaí picked up a penguin yesterday after a feather-brained trio stole the bird from Dublin Zoo.
Kelli, a 10-year-old Humboldt penguin, was taken from the zoo before 8am yesterday, about an hour and a half before the zoo opened.
Up to three men scaled a 4m-high perimeter fence, grabbed the bird, stuffed her into a bag and made off in a taxi.
The incident left the zoo spitting feathers while journalists at home and abroad delighted in the excuse to use multiple puns.
Team leader Eddie O’Brien was first made aware that the penguin had gone missing at 8.30am after it was discovered one of the 14 Humboldt penguins was not there during the morning head count.
A member of staff reported seeing up to three individuals who got into a taxi holding a bag. Gardaí were called and they retrieved the taxi driver’s details. The driver said he had asked the men what was in the bag but was told it contained a rabbit.
Despite being microchipped, the device does not allow zookeepers to trace the animal. However, about four hours after she went missing, a member of the public directed gardaí to Rutland Street where Kelli was discovered wandering the streets.
She was returned to the zoo where she was checked out by a vet. Kelli calmed down after she was reunited with her partner, Mick, last night.
Mr O’Brien said staff were “delighted” at her safe return. However, Dublin Zoo said the theft was “not something amusing”.
“We wish to underline our annoyance at this incident. The welfare and health of all animals is our primary concern and this kind of incident is not frivolous and certainly not something amusing.” Similarly a Garda spokesman said this was a criminal matter. “We are investigating the fact. It is the property of the zoo and that property was stolen.”
It has been more than 10 years since any animals were stolen from the zoo, when a number of parrots were taken. A flamingo flew the coop earlier this year, spending a night under Chapelizod Bridge, before being captured and returned.