What is the name of the penguin knight honored by Edinburgh Zoo?

Sir Nils Olav is the penguin knight honored by Edinburgh Zoo.

Nils Olav is a king penguin at Edinburgh Zoo who serves as the mascot and honorary member of Norway’s King’s Guard. The tradition began in 1972, when the Norwegian royal guard visited the zoo during the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. A penguin was selected as the regiment’s mascot and named Nils Olav in honor of a Norwegian king and the original Norwegian major who helped establish the connection.

His honorary rank increased over time, and he was knighted in 2008. In 2016, he was promoted to brigadier sir. The title applies ceremonially to the penguin representing the mascot tradition, not to an ordinary military appointment.

The name is sometimes spelled with or without punctuation in casual references, but “Sir Nils Olav” is the established form used for the famous zoo mascot.