Cleaning the penguin enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo

Cleaning a window takes on a whole other level when you’re looking to tackle the inside of the underwater glass viewing window at Edinburgh Zoo’s penguin enclosure.

So how do you do it?  Well with a giant bag full of squidgy cloths and a diving suit!

Whilst almost everyone would agree that sunshine is lovely, the ultraviolet in sunlight actually encourages algae to grow, meaning that three to four times a year Edinburgh Zoo has to undertake the task of cleaning algae from the windows of the underwater penguin enclosure.

Luckily a number of army personnel from the Royal School of Military Engineers were on a training exercise at Edinburgh Zoo, practising their surveying and drawing techniques, when the army instructor and his wife volunteered to do the dirty job.

Interestingly enough, apparently cleaning underwater is more difficult than it looks due to working at depth.

As a long term solution the works department at Edinburgh Zoo are arranging for an ultra violet film to be added to the window to slow future growth.

Edinburgh Zoo is open all year round.