Kentucky Senate Penguin Poops On Floor (VIDEO)

Things got a little wild on the floor of the Kentucky Senate this week, but it wasn't a late-breaking political scandal that shocked lawmakers. It was a pooping penguin.

Paula, a penguin from the Newport Aquarium near Cincinnati, Ohio, was visting the Kentucky Legislature Tuesday as part of a resolution honoring the aquarium for its work with penguins and other marine animals, reported the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Newport Aquarium's exhibit, "Penguin Palooza," is the "second most diverse collection of cold-weather penguins in the country," according to the zoo's website. They explain that even the most populous species, the Macaroni penguin, has seen "widespread decline" since the 1970s and is currently listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

As State Senator Katie Stine (R) described the resolution, thanking Newport Aquarium "for its contributions to the ecology of our world and the economy of Kentucky," Paula decided the Senate chamber was as good of a place as any to do her business.

As Stine continued to read Resolution 92 unfazed, Senate President David Williams asked her, "Are you talking about the penguin that just defecated on the floor?" Amid boisterous laughter from the rest of the Senate, Stine replied, "Actually, senator, I believe that's your desk."

Stine garnered more laughs when she later said, "May I ask for floor privileges?" Williams continued the banter, replying, "Well, the penguin's already taken care of the floor."

For more penguin fun, be sure to check out images of the San Francisco Zoo's newest gaggle of Magellanic penguins that arrived in November. In more serious penguin news, nearly 50 little penguins were rescued and re-released in December after an October oil spill in northern New Zealand.

Below, watch the video of Paula the penguin in the Kentucky Senate chamber.

WATCH:

Comments

[Kebert Xela]

05:39 PM on 01/29/2012

Lets go Pens!

[Scruffyboo2]

01:27 AM on 01/29/2012

Sans the power of speech it was the only way that precious little thing could express her opinion of the events unfolding ...

[Gonzo333]

07:43 PM on 01/28/2012

Even a penguin knows what congress is about.

[Igor Purlantov]

06:31 PM on 01/28/2012

Paula is one cute penguin. She is now a star! -Igor Purlantov

[rockysparks]

09:08 AM on 01/28/2012

I nominate Paula the Penguin to replace Mitch McConnell. She's prettier, for one thing ...

[silverwolf13]

07:59 PM on 01/29/2012

And obviously smarter.

[alguien]

02:55 PM on 01/27/2012

i'm sure that many people around the state of kentuckey would applaud paula the penguin's action.

[rockysparks]

09:05 AM on 01/28/2012

Oh ---- trust me, we DO! The penguin paid those clowns in the statehouse back for all the years they've been pooping on US!

[satyrday]

02:43 PM on 01/27/2012

That sounds like a good idea. We need a Dem. to try that in the U.S. House, right when Boehner is yapping.

[Num1Christy]

10:21 AM on 01/27/2012

The Newport Aquarium is pretty awesome. I've been to a few, NOLA and Virginia Beach, and I think Newport is the largest and has the most the offer.

[bcmom]

09:31 AM on 01/27/2012

Appropriate.

[ThinkCreeps]

08:53 AM on 01/27/2012

Y'all see! Thats the kindu thang that happuns when you believe in evolushun

[korbendal]

08:31 AM on 01/27/2012

he occupied the Kentucky Senate...

Did he tap dance afterwards? :-)

[Aldyth]

07:57 AM on 01/27/2012

The penguin was expressing an opinion.

[Husain Jan]

07:49 AM on 01/27/2012

I like the webpage. Thank you for adding

[sbblessedbe]

03:48 AM on 01/27/2012

Hey guys, Nobody likes polititions, but this time they were trying to do something decent. At least they took it in stride.

[carolineeaton]

12:28 AM on 01/27/2012

Where is the rest of the flock?. I'm on my way to Washington, DC. and would like them to join me:).