Though healthy, Yellow Pink, our 14-year-old male African penguin, lost his feathers and hasn't grown them back yet. To help him stay warm while he swims, our trainers, veterinarians and research team designed and created a custom neoprene wetsuit. Made from one of Mystic Aquarium's old diving wetsuits, Yellow Pink will wear the suit while swimming until he molts and grows new feathers.
African penguins' dense feathers (70 per square inch) protect them from the cold and are coated with oil from a gland located at the base of their tail. Every year they typically experience "catastrophic molting," which includes shedding and growing all new feathers over a two-week period. This adaptation allows them to swim after completing the cycle, insulated and resistant to water. Yellow Pink is expected to molt and grow new feathers, but it's unknown when.
