Kicking off breeding season at Penguins Rock, staff at Edinburgh Zoo have released images of nesting rings being placed inside the popular enclosure.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) shared the cute images of their gentoo penguins checking out the rings which are now dotted around their home.
With three species and over 100 individuals, the wildlife conservation charity also placed a pile of pebbles in the enclosure, which the penguin pairs will collect for their nest rings.
These will often include those stolen from other nests - adorably known as "pebble pinching".
It's an exciting time for the team, and the animals themselves, as the promise of spring brings new life to the zoo, with the females expected to start laying their eggs later this month.
Males will often battle over the best pebbles, which they take back to their nests to impress their mates.
You can watch all the drama unfold from the comfort of your couch on the zoo's popular webcams.
Dawn Nicoll, senior animal keeper at Edinburgh Zoo, explained that it's a very exciting time for the zoo, she said: "We are thrilled we have been able to reopen our gates and share this magical time with our visitors once again.
“This year the gentoo penguin nest site can be seen on our live webcams, so people will be able to witness the pebble pinching firsthand, even if they can’t visit us in person.
“Pebble pinching is a huge part of the breeding season. This is when a penguin sees the most perfect pebble in another couple’s nest and decides to take it back to their own nest.
"However, it remains a happy environment and it’s amazing to watch them couple up and choose their nest rings together.”
Recently reopened to city of Edinburgh residents, Edinburgh Zoo has added a host of new safety measures to ensure people can still enjoy seeing the animals up close.
Visitors hoping to spot the penguin breeding behaviours must pre-book zoo tickets before their visit at www.tickets.edinburghzoo.org.uk.
