PENGUINS at a new wildlife attraction have taken to demonstrating their loathing of a fashionable type of boot – prompting staff to advise visitors to choose their footwear carefully.

The Humboldt penguins at a new walk-through enclosure at Scarborough Sea Life Sanctuary have taken a vehement and very public dislike to suede or fur covered boots.

The new penguin walk at the attraction allows visitors to talk through the enclosure.

The knee-high birds remain relaxed about their new visitors, but the sight of the boots appears to be provocation to them, with the penguins becoming so incensed they peck or chase off the footwear.

The two youngest birds in particular – hand-reared pair Rico and Skipper – will chase anyone wearing the particular style of boot.

The supervised trek through the enclosure has no barriers between visitors and birds and was introduced following a £300,000 redevelopment of the Sanctuary’s penguin attraction.

It also saw the former colony of 12 South American Humboldt penguins welcome six new captive-bred additions from Belgium and hand-reared pair Rico and Skipper from another wildlife centre.

Boss Richard Dilly said: "They seem completely relaxed with the whole business, until someone appears wearing those boots. Then Rico and Skipper and one or two of the others will try to see them off with a series of well-aimed pecks.

“The boots protect their wearers from any harm, but it’s clearly disconcerting for them to have their feet pecked constantly until they are safely out of the enclosure.”

The animal care team are baffled, but speculate that the fur covered footwear triggers an inherited memory of predatory seals, and the penguins instinctively want to chase those boots away.

Appropriate warnings are now being issued prior to every walkthrough, and several boot-clad visitors have passed up the opportunity as a result.