African penguin becomes guide for friend who can’t see

African penguins Squid and Penguin have a unique friendship

Two African penguins living at a zoo in Surrey have formed a very special friendship.

One acts as a guide to the other, who has difficulty seeing due to an eye condition called cataracts.

The penguins, named Squid and Penguin (yes, you read that correctly), have been friends for a number of years.

And their keepers are delighted that the pair have formed such a strong bond, saying the friendship means the pair have a "solid future" with the rest of the penguins in their colony.

Keepers at Birdworld in Farnham where Penguin and Squid live say the pair first came together after they faced similar struggles.

Squid developed cataracts at just six weeks old which affected her ability to see and Penguin himself struggled with an illness in early life.

This meant the pair needed more attention from their handlers.

Penguin's keepers noticed he lacked some social skills which were important to help him integrate with his colony.

And Squid's biggest challenge was learning how to eat fish with her vision impaired.

Penguin and Squid have bonded over mealtimes

A beautiful penguin friendship

"Initially the keepers had to hand feed Squid to ensure she got enough fish," Birdworld's Living Collections Manager, Polly Bramham, told Newsround, "but she is a very independent personality and this did not sit well with her."

Because Penguin was more comfortable with the keepers, Squid started to feel more confident just by standing next to him at feeding times.

"Squid learnt that by standing next to Penguin (shoulder to shoulder contact), she could follow his beak and steal the fish as the keepers offered it to him," Polly explained.

And thankfully, because Penguin is "laidback" he doesn't mind Squid's cheekily nabbing his fish.

African penguins like Squid and Penguin are very sociable and live in large groups called colonies

"At feed times, Squid might be the first to the bucket, but she'll hold back until Penguin arrives before she actually starts to take the fish," says Polly.

The friendship between Squid and Penguin has delighted staff at Birdworld, as it has helped the pair grow in confidence with the rest of their colony.

"The keepers get engrossed in all the various relationships and friendships that go on in the colonies, with all sorts of domestic dramas being shared at the end of the day," says Polly.

"But the Squid-Penguin friendship has been particularly obvious and long-lasting, and very endearing."

African penguins, like Squid and Penguin, are classed as endangered in the wild.