Latest News

Back to Latest News back

 

New device at Melbourne Zoo helps to monitor Little Penguin health

New device at Melbourne Zoo helps to monitor Little Penguin health
March 11, 2019

A new device at Melbourne Zoo is enabling keepers and veterinarians to innovatively monitor the health and welfare of its Little Penguins.

The custom-designed device was conceptualised by Melbourne Zoo keepers, and allows penguins to be weighed with ease and for their feet to be health-checked daily. The device also provides penguins with the choice to voluntarily participate in these routine checks.

Melbourne Zoo Wild Sea keeper Elizabeth Liddicoat, said the device had changed the way keepers now work with the penguins, commenting "this device has been set up so that we can assess the penguins’ health without having to pick them up."

The device is separated into three key sections: the penguins first step into a footbath to clean their feet, before moving on to a scale to be weighed. The penguins then stand on a podoscope, a see-through box with an embedded mirror that reflects the bottom of the penguins’ feet into the view of keepers and vets. Finally, the penguins are presented with a food reward as positive reinforcement.

Liddicoat said keepers need to be able to monitor weight to make sure that the penguins remain healthy and seeing under the penguins’ feet helped with the monitoring of ‘bumblefoot’, adding “Bumblefoot is a really common medical problem that occurs with water birds,” she said. “By standing on the podoscope we can get a great view of the undersides of penguins’ feet and identify and treat the (bacterial and inflammatory) condition in its early stages.”

Liddicoat said that scales and podoscopes were used by keepers for a variety of animals, however the design of the structure at Melbourne Zoo for the Little Penguins was unique, concluding "we’ve never seen it at any other zoo, so we’re pretty sure it’s a brand new idea as far as penguins go."

Little Penguins are native to Australia and are the smallest species of penguin in the world. The penguins at Melbourne Zoo play an important role in educating the public about the health of the marine environment and inspiring people to protect it.

Visitors can see the Little Penguins and the new health care device in action during the daily talks at 3:45pm at the zoo’s Wild Sea precinct.

All images of Little Penguins at Melbourne Zoo: Credit Alex Storer

Related Articles

27th February 2019 - Zoos Victoria to drop Mondelez’s Cadbury products over palm oil fears

22nd January 2019 - Melbourne Zoo builds hydro gym for reptiles

29th July 2016 - Melbourne Zoo highlights plight of orangutans with call for palm oil labelling

21st April 2016 - Penguin Parade to benefit from $58 million investment in new visitor facilities

5th November 2015 - Fox massacres Melbourne Zoo penguins

14th November 2013 - SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium unveils newly refurbished little penguin homes

15th November 2012 - Little Penguins make big splash at National Aquarium

3rd May 2012 - Tourists fined for Sea World penguin-napping


Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

 

supplier directory

The Complete Guide to Leisure Industry Products & Services.

See the directory see all

PerfectGym

Perfect Gym Solutions is a software as a service (SaaS) solution purpose-built to service the fitness industry, with over 1000 clients servicing over two million gym members across 40 countries making…

read more

Access / Fitness / Marketing / Recreation / Technology

 
 

ICP

ICP is an Australian-based company focused on indoor climbing. ICP will manage your project from initial design to completion and beyond, whether you're building an international-level climbing…

read more

Attractions / Fitness / Recreation

 
 

Augmented Creative

Augmented Creative is an open organization of like-minded and highly dedicated, creative people who conceive, plan and execute visual solutions. We pursue new and innovative visual ideas to help…

read more

Arts / Attractions / Consultants / Design / Tourism

 
 

State Wide Pool Services

Known as Hydrilla since September 2020 - see www.ausleisure.com.au/suppliers/hydrilla-pty-ltd

read more

Aquatics

 
 

revolutioniseSPORT

revolutioniseSPORT is the emerging market leader in online club management in Australia. Whether it is memberships, registrations, events, online sales or governance tools - revolutioniseSPORT is the…

read more

Recreation / Sport / Technology

 
 

Technogym Australia

Technogym is the leading company in the Wellness and Fitness field all over the world. With 2,200 employees, 14 branches in Europe, U.S., South America, Asia  and Australia, Technogym exports its…

read more

Fitness / Technology / Wellness

 
 

METRA Australia

With industry leading solutions in design and durability you can improve your facilities with our access control operations, payment systems and flexible personal locker storage solutions. Your…

read more

Aquatics / Attractions / Fitness / Recreation / Security

 
 

Felton Industries

Felton Industries is Australia’s leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of quality outdoor furniture and has been supplying premium seating solutions for all sporting, commercial, community…

read more

Parks / Play / Recreation / Sport / Venues

 
 
 
 

get listed with our suppliers directory

Get your business noticed in our targeted directory. Viewed by 10,000 industry professionals per week!

list your business