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.
“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.”CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
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