GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — It was a day all about the penguins at John Ball Zoo on Thursday as 23 Magellanic penguins had their annual physicals.
While the penguins were brought to the veterinary staff for their exams their 30,000-gallon pool was drained for cleaning and maintenance.
Zoo staff told 13 ON YOUR SIDE that some of the penguins are well into their 20s and 30s, and so it's very important to keep them healthy.
Each penguin was examined from beak to flipper, they were weighed, had their beaks and nails trimmed and received an overall physical examination to make sure they were all healthy.
“Similar to domestic animals, and even people, routine visits to the doctor for examinations are important to ensuring the penguins’ health,” said Dr. Ryan Colburn, senior veterinarian at John Ball Zoo. “The team at John Ball Zoo works hard to give each penguin a thorough check, making sure our penguins are happy, healthy and thriving before going back into their freshly cleaned habitat.”
Their exams also included a check of their eyes, hearts, lungs, joints, blood work, X-rays and more.
"It's really interesting because every Penguin has its own personality, we have some that are very focused on people and want the attention," said Colburn. "They're very calm during their exam. And just like taking kids or a pet to the doctor, there are others that don't like their trip to the doctor. So it's a whole spectrum."
The zoo said that wrangling so many penguins is a team effort involving everyone from veterinary staff to animal care staff. They said the team worked in a coordinated effort to make sure the process was efficient, organized and safe.
The penguins all completed their exams and waited patiently for their flockmates to do the same. The zoo said their pool has been filled with water once again and the penguins are getting along swimmingly back in their habitat.
If you would like to visit the penguins at John Ball Zoo you'll have to wait a few more weeks, the zoo will open for the season March 22.
In the mean time you can enjoy these penguin jokes!
- What does a broke penguin say when he sees the vet for annual exam? Put it on my bill.
- How do penguins know when there’s something wrong? It smells a bit fishy.
- Why don’t penguins fly? Because they’re not tall enough to be pilots.
- What do you call a penguin in the desert? Lost.
- Why do penguins carry fish in their beaks? Because their suits don’t have pockets.
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