San Diego Zoo penguin fitted with orthopedic footwear (Update)
In this undated photo provided by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, wildlife care specialists Debbie Dention, left, and Lara Jones watch as a penguin named Lucas tests custom orthopedic footwear at the San Diego Zoo. A member of the San Diego Zoo's African penguin colony has been fitted with orthopedic footwear to help it deal with a degenerative foot condition. The San Diego Wildlife Alliance says the 4-year-old penguin named Lucas has lesions on his feet due to a chronic condition known as bumblefoot. Credit: Ken Bohn/San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance via AP
A member of the San Diego Zoo's African penguin colony has been fitted with orthopedic footwear to help it deal with a degenerative foot condition.
The 4-year-old penguin named Lucas has lesions on his feet due to a chronic condition known as bumblefoot, which covers a range of avian foot problems, the San Diego Wildlife Alliance said Monday in a press release.
If left untreated, bumblefoot could lead to sepsis and death by infection.
The zoo's wildlife care specialists turned to an organization called Thera-Paw, which creates rehabilitative and assistive products for animals with special needs.
Thera-Paw created custom shoes made of neoprene and rubber to prevent pressure sores from developing when Lucas stands and walks.
The penguin's problems began more than three years ago.
African penguins have suffered a massive population decline and are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
In this undated photo provided by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, a penguin named Lucas does a test walk with custom orthopedic footwear at the San Diego Zoo. A member of the San Diego Zoo's African penguin colony has been fitted with orthopedic footwear to help it deal with a degenerative foot condition. The San Diego Wildlife Alliance says the 4-year-old penguin named Lucas has lesions on his feet due to a chronic condition known as bumblefoot. Credit: Ken Bohn/San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance via AP
Citation:
San Diego Zoo penguin fitted with orthopedic footwear (Update) (2022, August 29)
retrieved 28 June 2024
from https://phys.org/news/2022-08-san-diego-zoo-penguin-orthopedic.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
