Penguins having a few bad hair days at Birmingham Sea Life Centre
Feathers have been flying as a colony of penguins have been experiencing a bad hair day.
The Gentoo penguin colony at the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham have been experiencing what is know as a "catastrophic moult", where all feathers drop off at the same time.
Alan Kwan, displays supervisor at the aquarium, described what the penguins were currently experiencing.
He said: "Moulting is a normal part of the development in healthy, happy penguins like ours and it simply means that the old feathers are replaced by shiny new ones.
"Feathers are literally flying around the enclosure at the moment.
"With different birds starting at different times, it means penguins who’ve finished the moult will be showing off their new coats, much to the disapproval of those still dealing with their moulting feather fiasco."
The yearly moult takes around 14 days per penguin, with each penguin starting at slightly different times across the summer.
Alan said that during the process, the special waxes created to water their feathers were not produced, so the birds would stay on land instead of diving and swimming.
He said: "The Gentoos also lose their appetite during the moult, although in the weeks before it occurs, they gorge themselves on plenty of oily and nutrient rich fish.
"This helps build up the natural fat reserves that protect them from the cool Antarctic climate they thrive in."
To find out more and to see the moulting by the Gentoo's, go to sealife.co.uk/birmingham.
