A celebrity penguin from the UK with 15k social media followers is in the running to be named the world’s most popular flightless bird.<br /><br />The beloved bird, known as Spike, has made it through to the final of Penguins International’s ‘March of the Penguins Madness’ challenge.<br /><br />The competition has seen Spike see off competitors from as far afield as Australia, America and Canada.<br /><br />Now, the 15-year-old king penguin from Birdland Park and Gardens in the Cotswolds faces one final challenge to win the global crown.<br /><br />He has gone up against an African penguin called Mai from the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa in Hawaii.<br /><br />Spike is one of the country’s best-known penguins, having starred alongside Sir David Attenborough as part of the ‘Natural Curiosities’.<br /><br />Other television highlights include appearances on the shows Penguins Make You Laugh Out Loud, Junior Vets and Escape to the Country.<br /><br />He has also starred in adverts for LG and an Icelandic bank.<br /><br />His keepers are urging people to vote in a public poll.<br /><br />Birdland’s head keeper Al Keen said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with the support Spike has got so far and it’s amazing he has reached the final.<br /><br />“There’s quite a contrast between the Cotswolds and a luxury resort in Hawaii but we’re confident, with the British public’s help, we can ruffle a few feathers and get him crowned king penguin.<br /><br />“Spike is a real personality and we have a fantastic bond with him, having been hand-reared by the keepers here in 2007 after being abandoned as an egg by his parents.<br /><br />“His character makes him one of the stars of the show at Birdland and if he becomes the world’s most popular penguin, it’ll be a real feather in his cap.”<br /><br />In addition to his television work, Spike has appeared in numerous calendars, on greetings cards and he even has a double-page spread in a natural history book.<br /><br />Penguins International is a non-profit organisation committed to preserving and protecting penguins throughout the world.<br /><br />Voting for the winner opened online on Sunday, April 16, and runs until Tuesday, April 18, with the result being announced on Thursday.<br /><br />To vote, visit Penguins International's website, Facebook and Instagram.
