Penguin who lost her waddle is recovering thanks to unique treatment

by · Mail Online

A baby penguin who developed a limp is finally able to waddle again after zookeepers nursed her back to health - using a unique contraption.

Flop the Humboldt penguin was born at Dudley Zoo back in April but her mother died shortly after and her father started to leave the nest for long periods.

As a result, zookeepers were forced to step in to hand rear the chick, moving her to a juvenile isolation area.

That was when they noticed that Flop had begun to develop a limp.

Vets gave her anti-inflammatories and pain relief but less than 24 hours later the orphaned chick could no longer support her own weight and 'couldn't move at all'.

Dudley Zoo's head of birds Nicola Wright said: 'We took her to the vet and did X-rays and got bloods and what was identified was that she was fighting an infection.' 

After starting a course of antibiotics, Flop started to lose her appetite and became withdrawn, sparking concern among staff that she may not survive.

To ensure that the penguin chick was eating enough while completing the course of antibiotics, zookeepers came up with the ingenious idea to use a baby bouncer.

Flop the Humboldt penguin was born at Dudley Zoo in April but her mother passed away shortly after and her father started to leave the nest for long periods

With Flop balanced in the baby bouncer, keepers were able to give her smaller quantities of food.

The hope was that by keeping Flop in an upright position, pressure would be taken off her internal organs, in turn aiding her digestion, and she would start to engage her feet and hips again.

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Bird expert Ms Wright said: 'Because she was such a young bird, she was still growing at the time when this happened, so the first part of the battle was actually getting enough food into her so that she could take her medication and she didn't get too stunted in her growth.

'After that, once the infection was cleared up, it was a case of trying to get her to regain the use of her legs.'

Every morning keepers placed Flop into the bouncer to be fed, allowing her feet to just touch the floor.

They would then leave her to bounce around and practice waddling as they fed the other hand-reared youngsters in the isolation unit.  

Keepers also constructed a treadmill and adapted a baby walker for her.

Although these devices allowed her to stand in an upright position, Flop wouldn't even try to walk while in them – 'not even for the lure of a tasty fish'.

Every morning keepers placed Flop into the bouncer to be fed, allowing her feet to just touch the floor
The penguin chick would then be left alone to practice walking as the keepers fed the other hand-reared chicks

With the help of the baby bouncer, Flop started to use her feet to try to push herself up.

But when out of the device, she still couldn't lift her head, using her hips to slide on her tummy across the floor instead.

'It's been trials and tribulations,' Ms Wright sighed.

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After consulting with Toronto Zoo in Canada, which had dealt with a penguin with a similar issue, the keepers were able to provide better care for Flop.

She began gaining weight and was reintroduced to the isolation area in Penguin Bay for short, supervised swims.

The team even brought in an animal physiotherapist who gave them a series of exercises they could do with Flop to gradually build her strength.

Within days, she started lifting her head and standing upright without extra help.

Ms Wright said: 'What did it was Flop and her attitude as she never gave up at any point.

'All in all, it's been her effort that has got her to this stage and if she had given up at any point, we wouldn't be at this stage now.'

With the help of the baby bouncer and physiotherapy, Flop started lifting her head and standing upright without extra help
Flop began gaining weight and was reintroduced to the isolation area in Penguin Bay for short, supervised swims
Dudley Zoo's head of birds Nicola Wright (left) feeds Flop one of her meals for the day. Although Flop will remain smaller than the rest of the penguins, the keepers hope that she will be 'fully productive in penguin society' again

Just over a month later, Flop spent her first whole day by herself in the isolation area with the other juveniles.

This is where she currently remains before all the hand-reared chicks make a gradual return to the main colony.

Although Flop will remain smaller than the rest of the penguins, and with a slight hunch in her back, the keepers hope that she will be 'fully productive in penguin society' again.

Speaking of the penguin who re-found her waddle, Ms Wright said:  'It's just fantastic news for us as it's gone from something that started off very bleakly to a fantastic happy ending for us all.'