Penguin Recovering After Emergency Surgery to Remove Swallowed Dime Tossed in Enclosure
Incident Date:
12/10/2022
Location:
Grand Rapids, MI - USA
Facility Name:
John Ball Zoo
Facility Type:
Accredited AZA Facility (AZA)
Incident Category:
Animal health issue (RX)
Species:
Marine
Animal:
Penguin
Animal disposition:
Other
Summary:
At the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a penguin named Picchu is recovering from surgery after swallowing a dime that was apparently tossed into his enclosure.
Officials said Picchu likely mistook the coin for the shiny appearance of a fish, a main component of a penguin’s diet. The zoo’s veterinary team used endoscopy equipment to remove the dime.
Action take by Born Free USA:
Notes: