‘Poking Pip’: Oldest penguin at Massachusetts aquarium gets acupuncture therapy
Veterinary staff at the New England Aquarium in Boston, Massachusetts are giving their oldest African penguin a little “TLC” in an unorthodox way.
“Pip” is a 29-year-old penguin who has doubled the typical life expectancy for African penguins.
Staff members recently noticed that in his advanced age, he began walking with a limp and an abnormal gait.
The team treated Pip with different pain medications but decided to pursue more integrative therapies — like acupuncture.
Acupuncture uses hair-thin needles in areas where there is muscle tightness. The needles decrease inflammation and increase circulation in the affected areas.
“Similar to humans, aging penguins commonly develop osteoarthritis or spinal disease that can lead to gait changes and discomfort,” said Dr. Melissa Joblon, Director of Animal Health at the New England Aquarium. “Using additional treatments such as acupuncture and physical therapy allows us to decrease the dosage of pain medications and can greatly improve an animal’s quality of life.”
The NEAQ’s penguin trainers said Pip has responded positively to the acupuncture.
“Pip has come such a long way in his training. He’s even offering to preen and court his trainers during treatments. These increasing signs of comfort help us provide the care he needs in a stress-free way,” said Eric Fox, the Aquarium’s Associate Curator of Penguins.
The team at the NEAQ said Pip has appeared more relaxed after his treatment and has shown an improvement in his gait.
African penguins are a critically endangered species experiencing an alarming and continuing decline in their native environment on the coast of South Africa and Namibia, largely due to depletion of food from overfishing and climate change.
The New England Aquarium has cared for African penguins for decades.
