On October 6, representatives from the Guinness World Records organization announced that Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday recently visited the Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland to present the world record title to Sir Nils Olav III, recognizing him as the highest-ranking penguin in the world.
Sir Nils Olav III is a 21-year-old emperor penguin residing at the Edinburgh Zoo, who was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General earlier this year. Not only is Nils Olav a symbol of the Edinburgh Zoo, but he has also served as the mascot for the Royal Norwegian Guard for many years.
Nils Olav III recognized as the highest-ranking penguin in the world.
The first emperor penguin at the zoo was a gift from the Christian Salvesen family from Norway in 1913. Then, in 1961, when the Royal Norwegian Guard visited Edinburgh for training, Lieutenant Colonel Nils Egelien developed a fondness for the penguins at the zoo. He remarked that the regal march of the emperor penguins reminded him of the soldiers of the Royal Norwegian Guard.
When the Royal Norwegian Guard returned to Edinburgh in 1972, Nils Egelien arranged for one of the emperor penguins to become their official mascot.
Nils Olav – a name combining the Norwegian monarch Olav V (1903-1991) and Lieutenant Colonel Nils Egelien – was given to the first penguin that became the mascot of the Royal Norwegian Guard.
The original Nils Olav was promoted to the rank of Private First Class and was promoted each time the guard visited the zoo. After Nils Olav I passed away, the honorary title continued to be passed down to the next generation of emperor penguins.
The penguin recently promoted to Brigadier General is the third generation of Nils Olav. Prior to this, he was also honored with the title of Knight and Baron of Bouvet Island.
The career path of Sir Nils Olav III is recorded as follows: 1982 – Corporal, 1987 – Sergeant, 1993 – Regimental Sergeant Major, 2001 – Honorary Lieutenant Colonel, 2005 – Colonel, 2008 – Knight, 2016 – Brigadier General, 2023 – Brigadier General.
