In Edinburgh Zoo, waddling among the other king penguins, lives the world's most decorated bird. Major General Sir Nils Olav III, Baron of Bouvet Island, is not just another penguin—he's the Colonel-in-Chief of the Norwegian King's Guard, knighted by King Harald V himself, and holds the highest military rank of any animal on Earth.

This isn't a joke or a publicity stunt. The Norwegian military takes Nils Olav's position seriously, conducting formal inspections and promotion ceremonies with full military honors whenever the King's Guard visits Edinburgh.

How Does a Penguin Become a Colonel?

Nils Olav the king penguin at Edinburgh Zoo

The story began in 1961 when the Norwegian King's Guard visited the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Lieutenant Nils Egelien took a particular interest in the zoo's penguin colony. When the Guard returned in 1972, Egelien arranged for the regiment to adopt a penguin, naming him Nils Olav after himself and the contingent commander, Olav Siggerud.

That first penguin received the rank of Visekorporal (Lance Corporal). Every time the King's Guard returned to Edinburgh, Nils Olav received a promotion.

A Legacy Passed Down Through Feathers

The tradition has outlived the original penguin. The name and ranks have been passed down through three birds—the current office-holder is Nils Olav III, who inherited the position in 2008. That same year, he became the first penguin ever knighted by the Norwegian Army, earning the title "Sir."

His military resume is genuinely impressive:

Corporal (1982)
Sergeant (1987)
Regimental Sergeant Major (1993)
Honourable Regimental Sergeant Major (2001)
Colonel-in-Chief (2005)
Knighted (2008)
Brigadier (2016)
Major General (2023)

At each promotion ceremony, Norwegian soldiers stand at attention while the penguin waddles down the line, inspecting the troops. The ceremony follows full military protocol—the only difference is that the commanding officer has flippers.

Why Norway Takes This Seriously

You might wonder why a serious military organization maintains this tradition. For the Norwegian King's Guard, Nils Olav represents the bond between Norway and Scotland, military tradition, and the lighter side of service that keeps morale high.

The penguin's formal title is now "Major General Sir Nils Olav III, Baron of Bouvet Island, King's Guard of Norway." Bouvet Island is a Norwegian territory in the South Atlantic—a suitably remote location for a penguin baron.

Edinburgh Zoo maintains a special relationship with the Norwegian military because of this tradition. When promotion ceremonies occur, they're attended by Norwegian officers, the British military, and zoo officials, all treating the event with the same gravity as any other military promotion.

The World's Highest-Ranking Animal

Guinness World Records officially recognizes Nils Olav as the highest-ranking animal in any military worldwide. While other animals have served in armed forces—bears, dogs, horses, even other penguins—none have achieved such elevated rank.

The tradition continues because both nations value it. The Norwegian King's Guard plans to keep promoting Nils Olav (or his successors) during future visits to Edinburgh. Whether the penguin will one day achieve the rank of General remains to be seen, but given his current trajectory, it's only a matter of time.

And yes, he does outrank most of the human soldiers who salute him.

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