Nils Olav
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Nils Olav is a King Penguin living in Edinburgh Zoo, Scotland. He is the mascot and Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Norwegian Guard.
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[edit] Adoption
During the Edinburgh Military Tattoo of 1961 a Norwegian unit became interested in Edinburgh Zoo's penguin colony. When the Guards once again returned to Edinburgh in 1972, they adopted a penguin, naming him for the then Guard Commander, Nils Egelien, and for the King of Norway, Olav V.
[edit] Military ranks
Nils Olav was given the rank of visekorporal (lance corporal) in 1982, and promoted to sergeant in 1987. Nils died shortly after his promotion to sergeant, and his place of honour was taken by Nils Olav II, his two-year-old near-double. He was promoted in 1993 to the rank of regimental sergeant major. On August 18, 2005, he was promoted to Colonel-in-Chief. He is the first penguin to hold this rank in the Norwegian (indeed, any) army.
[edit] Statue
His bronze statue stands in Edinburgh Zoo and at the Royal Norwegian Guard compound at Huseby, Oslo.
[edit] External links
- Article with pictures (Norwegian)
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