Therapeutic Suits Help Injured Penguins Recover
A copper-and-zinc-based therapeutic suit, created in Chile, aims to speed the recovery of injured penguins, prevent them from tearing out their own sutures, and reduce the stress of dressing changes for these seabirds.
Footage filmed on 29 August and 2 September shows the injured penguins wearing the bodysuits during their rehabilitation, as well as different stages of the garments’ production.
The initiative was developed by the NGO Conservacion Humboldt, in the Coquimbo region, together with the veterinary company Kimba Vet and the Universidad Catolica del Norte, with support from Sernapesca and the organisation Sphenisco.
Healing Times Shortened With New Method
The president of the NGO Conservacion Humboldt, Tomas Pino Damke, said healing times were markedly shortened with this method.
“We realise that recovery periods dropped a great deal compared with not using the copper bodysuit technique, and we wanted to extrapolate that and have indeed seen similar results,” Pino explained.
The animals usually arrive at the centre after being rescued on beaches by Sernapesca staff, having been injured by fishing nets or vessels. The centre receives between two and four penguins a month.
Made-To-Measure Suits Designed For Penguins
To develop the garments known as BodyCobre, Conservacion Humboldt contacted the textile company Kimba and commissioned the design of made-to-measure suits.
“We had a copper bodysuit made; we bought a bodysuit and had it altered by a seamstress, so to speak. And then we got in touch with Kimba who, with the utmost willingness, came to help us immediately,” said veterinary surgeon Nareth Allende.
From Santiago, the manager of the textile company Kimba, Adolfo Momares, said the suits act as a protective barrier during post-operative or wound treatments.
Copper And Zinc Fabric Provides Protection
“What is special about our fabric is that, by combining copper with zinc, they reinforce each other; a synergy is created and we manage to produce a fabric that is antimicrobial, eliminates bacteria, fungi and mites, and reduces the proliferation of viruses,” he explained.
The aim now is for this solution to move beyond the rehabilitation centre and become a tool available to other places dedicated to the rescue and recovery of these birds.
Article by Viory.
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