Penguins poo on panda queue at zoo

People queuing to see Edinbugh Zoo's new pandas are having to brave an unexpected hardship - penguin droppings.

The curious birds, whose enclosure is above that of the pandas, seem just as keen to see the new arrivals as the human visitors.

The rockhopper penguins have been standing along the edge of their enclosure - with their droppings falling on people below, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Gary Wilson, Edinburgh Zoo's director of business operations, said: "Extremely curious birds, they often gather next to the wall to see what's happening below.

"We're hoping it's not a case of monochrome jealousy, but one or two of our rockhoppers seem to have had surprisingly good aim.

"We're just looking into a solution right now, probably in the form of a glass panel so that the visitors' view of the penguins isn't obscured."

One 41-year-old visitor, said: "We were queuing to see the pandas when a man in front shouted out in surprise that his jacket had been hit by a big dollop of penguin poo.

"It just missed me and my family and it was really oily and stank of fish. It was disgusting. It looked like it would be really hard to clean off.

"It was quite funny but the zoo should do something so it doesn't happen to anyone else."

Visitor numbers to the zoo have soared since giant pandas Yang Guang and Tian Tian arrived from China on December 4.