Hundreds of people waited on line to spend a few minutes with Ruby and Dee, two juvenile Black Footed Penguins from coastal South Africa, as part of an educational talk sponsored by the City of Excelsior Saturday, Dec. 8, in the Lake Minnetonka town. The penguins were visiting from Hemker Park & Zoo in Freeport, Minn.
Joan Hemker, from Hemker Park & Zoo in Freeport, Minn. holds Ruby, a 2 1/2 year old Black Footed Penguin, while McCullen Mayo, 5, pets the coastal South African Bird during a City of Excelsior educational talk Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012.
Ruby, a 2 1/2 year old Black Footed Penguin, lower right, visited downtown Excelsior Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012. Hundreds of people, in groups of about 30, got to spend a few minutes with the two coastal South African birds (Dee, Ruby's mate, is the shy one, and not pictured here). McCullen Mayo, 5, Minnetrista, got a front row seat and a closeup audience with the Hemker Park & Zoo penguin.