Penguin has unusual water phobia.

Aw.

While his feathered friends dive happily through the icy depths, poor Kentucky the penguin perches hopelessly on his favourite rock.

Why? Because he’s afraid of WATER. The petrified penguin, described as a ’runt’ by his keepers, is terrified by the cold H20.

He refuses to take the plunge with his other 23 penguin pals at Blackbrook Zoological Park, in Leek, Staffs. Staff at the zoo have seen 11-year-old Kentucky become a surprise hit with visitors at the park due to his unusual phobia.

The hapless Humbolt penguin was born smaller than his Arctic brothers and sisters and has had malting problems since birth which make the water ’a bit too cold for him’, staff say.