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But penguin experts and enthusiasts from around the world will head to Bristol for the 8^th International Penguin Conference on 2-6 September, the first ever to be held in Europe.

The event will be co-hosted by the University of Bristol and Bristol Zoo Gardens.

Delegates will be welcomed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and get a chance to sample papers on everything from ¡°monitoring global penguin population change¡± to ¡°the power of poo¡±.

They can learn the answer to the question ¡°Are both sexes sexy?¡± (in King penguins, where both sexes are similar in size and appearance). And they will hear about new conservation techniques and improved husbandry methods designed to protect the five ¡°endangered¡± and six ¡°vulnerable¡± species of penguin.

The public will get a chance to spend a ¡°penguin day¡± at the zoo and attend a free event looking at ¡°Penguins on Film¡±. This will include footage which catches ¡°criminal penguins¡± red-handed ¨C Adelie penguins stealing stones from their neighbours¡¯ nests to protect their eggs ¨C and demonstrates that even Emperor penguins can (more or less) fly.

¡°There¡¯s so much work going on to help protect them, and all the delegates are very keen to share their passion for penguins,¡± says conference chair Pete Barham, professor of physics at Bristol.

matthew.reisz@tsleducation.com