Researchers in Chile are employing a novel approach to aid the recovery of injured Humboldt penguins: custom-designed vests containing copper and zinc. This initiative aims to accelerate the healing process for these vulnerable aquatic birds, which face numerous threats including environmental hazards and dwindling food sources.
The concept behind the vests draws from successful treatments applied to domestic animals. Veterinarians have observed that vests with microfibers containing copper and zinc significantly aid in the healing of skin wounds in pets like dogs and cats. "We began to wonder — why can't this be used on penguins?" said Ignacio Idalsoaga, director of the Buin Zoo, where the initial measurements for the penguin bodysuits were taken.
The experiment arrives as Chile's Humboldt penguin population experiences a sharp decline. Surveys conducted by Chilean and international researchers in 2024 and 2025 revealed a 63% decrease in active nests compared to three years prior. The species is threatened by entanglement in fishing gear, plastic pollution, disease, and competition with fisheries for food.
Adding to these challenges, the Humboldt penguins are impacted by El Niño, a disruptive weather pattern that causes unusually warm ocean waters. This warming makes it harder for penguins to find the cold-water fish that constitute their primary diet. The scarcity of food forces breeding penguins to travel farther from their nests, increasing the likelihood of abandonment and injury.
"Especially now, with all the problems caused by El Nino, we're likely to see many abandoned chicks in the coming weeks, with injuries they suffer in the environment," Idalsoaga noted.
Wildlife rehabilitation centers across Chile frequently receive distressed penguins stranded along the coast. These birds often present with injuries from fishing nets or boat propellers, or they are weakened by starvation. Tomás Pino, a veterinarian with the nonprofit Conservación Humboldt, highlighted the difficulty in treating wounds on penguins, as they can easily peck at and remove stitches.
The specialized vests are designed to prevent penguins from interfering with their wounds. Furthermore, the copper woven into the fabric, in which Chile is a leading global producer, acts as a medicinal agent. Both copper and zinc are known to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth. Zinc also plays a role in stimulating the formation of new blood vessels, which can speed up the healing of damaged tissue.
"We've seen that the penguins tolerate it quite well," Pino stated. "We noticed that from one day to the next, the wounds were in better condition with the vest."