A penguin at the San Diego Zoo appears to be happy on his feet again after donning orthopedic footwear to nurse his degenerative foot condition.
Lucas, a 4-year-old penguin in the San Diego Zoo’s African penguin colony, has been ailed by bumblefoot, which refers to a wide range of conditions that make penguins’ feet unhappy, the zoo explained. In Lucas’s case, he has lesions on his feet that are thought to be a permanent condition, and the footwear is intended to stave off the development of additional sores.
“The boots are cushioned and velcroed in place, so they will help Lucas to fully participate in the colony and showcase behaviors that are more typical for a penguin—such as climbing the rocks, swimming, nesting, and finding a suitable mate,” Dr. Beth Bicknese, a senior veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo, explained in a press release.
Three years ago, Lucas suffered from a spinal infection that weakened the muscles in his leg, hampering his ability to stand upright properly on his toes and forcing him to rest on parts of his ankles that aren’t meant to touch the ground, the zoo said. To combat further growth of the sores, zoo officials partnered with Thera-Paw to develop specialized padded boots.
“We were pleasantly surprised at the immediate change in Lucas after we fitted him with his new boots,” Debbie Denton, senior wildlife care specialist at the San Diego Zoo said. “Seeing him move about now gives us hope that he may be OK going forward, and able to live a full life.”
His new shoes comprise rubber and neoprene to help alleviate pressure on his existing sores.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The African penguin is considered endangered, appearing on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. Its population has dramatically plummeted from over one million to about “18,000 breeding pairs” today, the zoo said. During the past two years alone, its population is estimated to have plunged by over 23%.
Threats to the species entail a lack of food due to overfishing, environmental changes, population, habitat deterioration, and more.
“Penguins are a remarkable family of birds,” Denton added. “There is no other type of animal that is so widely spread across an enormous geographic range, or displays so many unique characteristics among its members. As their numbers fall, every individual bird matter[s]. It’s vital that we continue our work to ensure their continued survival for generations to come.”
