Must be warmer than my wetsuit
Keepers at Penguin World at Marwell, fitted Ralph the bald penguin with a customized wetsuit because unlike the rest of the Humboldt penguins, which lose their old feathers gradually to make way for a fresh set, nine-year-old Ralph’s always fall out in just one day.
This leaves him at severe risk of sunburn and he faced being kept indoors for three weeks until his new set have grown. But yesterday he was feeding happily with his chums after wildlife park keepers fashioned him the rubber outfit from the leg of a wetsuit.
“Ralph’s really taken to his new suit,” said Helen Jeffreys of Marwell Wildlife, near Winchester, Hampshire.
It’s not inhibiting him in any way. He’s just getting on with his daily business.
Must float pretty good
All the other penguins were intrigued by his new clothes and they spent a good while checking him out.
But when they realized it was still Ralph under the suit they seemed quite happy and don’t really pay it any attention any more.
Who cares what they think
David White, assistant manager of Penguin World at Marwell, said: “Ralph is perfectly healthy so we don’t know why his feathers all drop out at once.” He said he and his colleagues had thought about covering the 2ft bird in suncream but decided it would wash off in the water, but then they hit on the wetsuit idea.
With the price of a new Psyco Freak being $500, I just wish someone would custom fit a wetsuit for me. I just hope Ralf doesn’t take up surfing, because with those arms of his, there just wouldn’t be any competing with him for a wave.
