Nils Olav

Major General Sir Nils Olav III, also known as the Baron of Bouvet Island, is a king penguin that lives at the Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland. Even though he is a penguin, Nils Olav holds special titles and roles. He is the mascot and colonel-in-chief of the Norwegian King's Guard, a group of soldiers in Norway.

The name "Nils Olav" and its special titles have been used by three different king penguins since 1972. The current penguin to carry this name and these important roles is Nils Olav III. People and soldiers treat him with great respect, and he is a beloved symbol of friendship between Norway and Scotland.

History

The family of Norwegian shipping magnate Christian Salvesen gave a king penguin to Edinburgh Zoo when the zoo opened in 1913.

When the Norwegian King's Guard visited the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 1961, a lieutenant named Nils Egelien became interested in the zoo's penguin colony. When the King's Guard returned in 1972, Egelien arranged for the regiment to adopt a penguin. This penguin was named Nils Olav in honour of Nils Egelien and Olav Siggerud, a commander of the King's Guard.

Nils Olav was given the rank of visekorporal (lance corporal) in the battalion. He was promoted each time the King's Guard returned to the zoo. He became a corporal in 1982, then a sergeant in 1987. After Nils Olav I passed away, Nils Olav II took his place and was promoted to regimental sergeant major in 1993 and to honourable regimental sergeant major in 2001. On 18 August 2005, he was appointed colonel-in-chief of the regiment. A bronze statue of Nils Olav was presented to Edinburgh Zoo during the 2005 visit.

In 2008, Nils Olav received a knighthood, approved by King Harald V, making him the first penguin to receive such an honour in the Norwegian Army. A third penguin, Nils Olav III, took over between 2008 and 2016. On 22 August 2016, he was promoted to brigadier, and on 21 August 2023, he was promoted to major general. Nils Olav is recognised by Guinness World Records as the highest-ranking penguin.