Biologists at the California Academy of Sciences noticed that the African penguin, named Pierre, stopped plunging into the cold water of his tank when he began to lose his feathers.
|
| ©AP |
| Pam Schaller checks the fit in Pierre the penguin's custom wetsuit |
Penguins rely on their waterproof feathers to keep them warm, and without them the water was too cold for 25-year-old Pierre.
Staff from Oceanic Worldwides made the wetsuit to allow Pierre the same level of movement he was used to.
Pam Schaller, a senior aquatic biologist at the academy, said the suit with Velcro seals covered Pierre's torso and had small openings for his flippers.
"I would walk behind him and look at where there were any gaps, and cut and refit and cut and refit until it looked like it was extremely streamlined," she said.
Some of the biologists were worried that the other penguins might reject Pierre because of his suit, but that did not happen.
Not only has Pierre joined the other penguins but he has also gained weight and grown back most of his feathers, meaning he can be weaned off the suit and start taking more dips in the buff.
Reader Comments
to our Newsletter