Arriving just three-weeks-ago from Native Bird Rescue - Waiheke Island with a severe wound to his flipper, this little penguin was in immediate need of veterinary assistance.
Our vet team provided him with some initial pain relief, fluids to rehydrate, antibiotics to combat infection and appropriate food as he was severely underweight. The injury to his flipper was so severe that it was only hanging on by a thread and had likely been fractured for several days. Because of the severity, the only viable treatment option was to amputate the affected flipper and once he was in a stable condition our vet team performed the amputation under anaesthesia.
We don’t know the exact cause of this injury, but a major trauma like this is likely caused by dogs attacking penguins on the beach, a predatory fish bite, or potentially a boat strike.
Although this injury means he cannot hunt and would not survive in the wild, we will be able to care for him for the rest of his life here at Auckland Zoo.
