Researchers in Chile are employing an unconventional approach to aid injured Humboldt penguins, dressing them in snug vests woven with copper and zinc. The goal is to accelerate the healing process for wounds that penguins often aggravate by pecking at stitches.
This innovative method draws inspiration from the success of similar vests used on pets, such as dogs and cats, to promote the recovery of skin ailments. Ignacio Idalsoaga, director of the Buin Zoo near Santiago, where the first bodysuits were prototyped, noted the existing applications of such microfibers in pet care. "For years, vests with microfibers containing elements like copper and zinc have been tested on pets, particularly dogs and cats, and have greatly helped in the recovery of skin wounds," Idalsoaga stated. "We began to wonder — why can’t this be used on penguins?"
The experiment arrives as Chile's Humboldt penguin population faces significant decline. Surveys conducted in 2024 and 2025 revealed a 63% reduction in active nests at major breeding sites compared to three years prior. The species is threatened by various factors, including entanglement in fishing gear, plastic pollution, disease, and competition for food resources with commercial fisheries.
Compounding these issues, the Humboldt penguins are now contending with the impacts of El Niño, a disruptive weather pattern that causes unusually warm ocean waters. This warming makes it harder for the penguins to find the cold-water fish they depend on, forcing parents to travel further from their nests, often leaving chicks vulnerable and abandoned. "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 explained.
Wildlife rehabilitation centers across Chile regularly receive distressed penguins that have become stranded along the coast. These birds often bear injuries from encounters with fishing nets or boat propellers, or suffer from malnourishment. Tomás Pino, a veterinarian with the nonprofit Conservación Humboldt, highlighted the challenges in treating these animals, noting that penguins' tendency to twist their necks to peck at wounds complicates recovery.
The copper and zinc woven into the penguin vests are intended to counteract this. Chile, a leading global producer of copper, sees its natural resources utilized in this novel medical application. The copper and zinc act to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth on wounds. Additionally, zinc is known to stimulate the formation of new blood vessels, thereby expediting tissue regeneration. "We’ve seen that the penguins tolerate it quite well," Pino reported. "We noticed that from one day to the next, the wounds were in better condition with the vest."