“Cute chaos” might be the best way to describe the scene inside the penguin exhibit Thursday as John Ball Zoo’s Magellanic penguins each had a visit with the veterinarian.
“We have some that are very used to it and enjoy - I wouldn't say enjoy - but maybe are used to being around people and don't mind it, we have some that do kind of… protest.”
Despite some ruffled feathers (yes, penguins have feathers) Curator Dan Hemmann says the goal is to make sure the animals are healthy and to catch any medical problems early.
“Our vet looks at their joints and make sure they're not having any arthritis issues. He'll also use the opportunity to make sure their eyes are working right, look in their mouths, making sure they're healthy, and just get a good hands on feel of them to make sure that they are the correct weight.
The penguins get beak and nail trims and have blood drawn to check kidney and liver
health.
“They also get radiographs so we can look at their insides. Unfortunately, people like throwing things in the penguin pool sometimes, like coins, and this allows us to see if they have anything that we need to be aware of that we need to take care of.”
John Ball Zoo is closed for the winter but is staffed year-round to care for the more than 2,000 animals that call it home.
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