Chilean Zoo Deploys Copper-Laced Vests to Heal Injured Penguins
Chilean researchers are testing copper and zinc vests on injured Humboldt penguins to speed wound healing and prevent self-inflicted damage.
Researchers in Chile have developed a novel treatment for injured Humboldt penguins: snug, copper-and-zinc threaded vests designed to accelerate healing. The garments, adapted from technology previously used on dogs and cats, are now being trialed at the Buin Zoo near Santiago.
Ignacio Idalsoaga, the zoo's director, explained that vests with microfibers containing copper and zinc have shown success in treating skin wounds in pets. The team wondered if the same principle could apply to penguins, leading to the creation of the first bodysuits.
The initiative comes at a critical time for the species. Surveys of major breeding colonies in 2024 and 2025 recorded a 63% drop in active nests compared to three years earlier. Penguins face threats from fishing net entanglement, plastic pollution, and disease. The El Niño weather pattern, which warms Pacific waters, also reduces the availability of cold-water fish, forcing parents to travel further and sometimes abandon their chicks.
Wildlife clinics in Chile regularly receive penguins injured by nets, boat propellers, or starvation. Treating these birds is challenging, as they often twist their necks to peck at wounds and remove stitches. The vests prevent this behavior while delivering therapeutic benefits. Copper and zinc inhibit bacterial and fungal growth, and zinc promotes new blood vessel formation, aiding tissue repair.
Veterinarian Tomás Pino, who runs the rehabilitation nonprofit Conservación Humboldt, noted that the penguins tolerate the vests well. He observed that wounds improved noticeably from one day to the next when the birds wore them. Chile, as the world's top copper producer, has a ready supply of the key mineral for this innovative conservation effort.