Snap a photo with Santa and a penguin at National Aviary session

Talk about being poles apart — Santa Claus hails from the North Pole, while penguins hang out at the South Pole. But on Dec. 21, they’ll come together for a photo opportunity at the National Aviary.

Photos With Santa and a Penguin is scheduled for 11 a.m.-1 p.m. that day at America’s only independent indoor nonprofit zoo dedicated exclusively to birds, in Allegheny Commons Park on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

Santa will be seated in a large, comfy chair in the atrium, to be joined by one of the aviary’s African penguins.

“We have a couple that like to participate, so it just depends on who swims up that morning and wants to be involved,” says communications specialist Molly Toth.

The penguin will sit on a large table next to Santa, close enough to be included in photos as kids and family groups share their wish lists.

The aviary is decorated for the holidays, with festive wreaths and garlands throughout the building, Toth says.

In addition to the photo session, for an additional fee, visitors can get up close and personal with the penguins during special interactive Penguin Encounters at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. that day.

“All of our animal encounters are 50% off during December,” Toth says.

Visitors also can learn more about African penguins during daily feeding times at 1 and 4 p.m.

Penguins and more

“If you still can’t get enough of penguins, we’ll have two penguin camps during the winter break,” Toth says.

Penguin Camps are planned Dec. 27 for ages 6-8 and Dec. 30 for ages 9-12. Campers help prepare breakfast for the penguin colony, attend a private feeding and learn special facts about the endangered birds. Attendees also have a close-up encounter with a penguin.

Penguins are certainly not the aviary’s only attraction. These programs also are planned Dec. 21; some are included in admission and others carry an additional fee (as noted):

• Sloth encounter, 9:30 a.m. Touch, feed and take photos with the slow-moving tree-dweller, while trainers discuss care and upbringing and the importance of conserving sloths in the wild (fee).

• Armadillo encounter, 10 a.m. Take photos, touch the armadillo’s armor and interact with him using enrichment toys (fee).

• Wetlands feeding, 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Habitat includes flamingos, ibises, spoonbills and Inca terns.

• Flamingo trek, 11 a.m. Be surrounded by the flock in its habitat (fee).

• Amazing Amazon, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Interactive live bird presentation including a toucan and macaws.

• Interactive story time, 11:30 a.m. Puppet show.

• Rainbow lorikeet feeding, 11:3o a.m., 2:30 and 4 p.m. Colorful birds will land on visitors’ hands to drink from cups of nectar (cups available for purchase).

• Meet a bird of prey, noon. Hawks, owls and other birds.

• Toucan feeding, noon and 3:30 p.m. The aracari is a medium-sized toucan with bright plumage and a patterned bill (feeding fee is $5).

• Bat feeding, 3 p.m. Watch as trainers feed the Malayan Flying Foxes fruit bats and talk about their remarkable habits.

• Hawk encounter, 3 p.m. See firsthand what birds of prey eat, examine feathers and snap a photo (fee).

• Owl encounter, 3 p.m. Hold an owl, take pictures, learn biofacts and dissect an owl pellet (fee).