FOUR feathered friends will be sleeping with the fishes at Folly Farm this spring - literally!

A gang of male macaroni penguins - dubbed the Macaroni Mafia - can now call the family fun park home, as part of a conservation breeding programme.

Known for their distinctive yellow crest feathers and prominent orange beak, the breed is usually found in the Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic Peninsula.

But now Tony the Don, aged 13, Vinny the Voice, seven, Frankie the Fish, five, and Little Nico, aged three, will join Folly Farm's existing group of Humboldt penguins.

The group of males moved to Folly Farm from Living Coasts zoo and aquarium in Torquay.

Although it’s one of the most numerous species of penguin, macaroni numbers have decreased by an estimated 30 per cent over the last 30 years.

The species is classed as vulnerable, meaning it’s likely to become endangered unless the circumstances threatening its survival – climate change, commercial fishing and oil pollution – improve.

Folly Farm is one of only three zoos in Europe to home macaroni penguins and, is currently on the waiting list for females to begin its own conservation breeding programme.

Catrin Thomas, penguin keeper at Folly Farm, said: “We’ve really been looking forward to the arrival of the macaroni penguins and it’s been great getting to know their personalities over the past few weeks.

"They definitely live up to their namesake – they’re a very proud species and spend a lot of time preening, but they’re also very gentle and a real pleasure to work with.

“Tony is definitely the Don. You can tell the others really admire him, they all follow his lead.

"Vinny is the vainest one of the group, he loves looking in the mirror and likes to help clean the enclosure by chasing after the brushes.

"Nico fancies himself a bit of a stud, he likes to show off on the rock in the middle of the pool, and Frankie spends most of his time following Tony around learning the ropes.

"They’re really good friends and they’re settling in well.

“It’s also really satisfying to know that, in taking on this group of surplus males from Living Coasts, we’re helping in the conservation of a vulnerable species of penguin.

"We’re looking forward to introducing them to the public and hope our visitors love them as much as we do!”