OdySea Aquarium shares story on rehabbing Rosie the penguin

Stories of animals overcoming adversity and challenges are floating around at OdySea Aquarium as 8-month old Rosie, an African penguin, overcomes physical disabilities.

Rosie, according to a press release, hatched in early December 2019 to first-time parents Mojo and Lemieux at the Penguin Point exhibit.

The Animal Care Team was said to be excited, eager to watch another chick thrive at OdySea Aquarium. Considered genetically valuable to the endangered African penguin species, Rosie, penguin No. 39 in the colony, was the first offspring to new parents.

“All penguin chicks are adorable. But there was something special about Rosie that made her extra endearing to us right from the start,” said Jessica Peranteau, director of animal care and education, in a prepared statement.

“As Rosie’s story unfolded, it was her motivation, as well as the way our teams came to together to provide ‘outside the box’ care for her, that made us feel inspired. Rosie is a great reminder of perseverance, especially with what is happening in the world today.”

As the ninth chick to hatch at OdySea Aquarium, the experienced Animal Care Team are said to “typically remain hands-off as much as possible, allowing penguin parents to rear their offspring.”

Mojo and Lemieux, the new parents, were described as enthusiastic, fussing over their chick, taking turns feeding and incubating their baby to keep it warm, noted the release.

Health exams, or “chick checks,” were performed regularly by OdySea Aquarium’s director of Animal Health/veterinarian Dr. Eric Anderson and  team who examined the baby bird, recorded vitals, weight, and developmental milestones.

Exams revealed Rosie was gaining weight and growing, indicating the parents were successfully feeding their baby, but the team noticed Rosie’s inability to sit up on her own, and a bit of misalignment of her feet.

When chicks hatch, they are unable to sit up on their own for several days and instead rest on their bellies warmly underneath their parents, described the release.

With  less than ideal progression in achieving that milestone, the team installed cameras on the nest to watch the chick and parents’ behavior. The cameras showed Mojo and Lemieux’s parenting skills and a look at Rosie’s life in the nest.

Also looking on were a few penguins who were found crowding the nest, trying to enter, according to the release.

A special "nursery" area was cornered off that kept the "nosy neighbors" out and allowed Rosie’s parents secure space around the nest to roam while taking turns on the nest.

Nest cam observations confirmed that the helicopter parenting of Mojo and Lemieux required intervention. Rosie was taken off exhibit and further medical tests were performed by Dr. Anderson and his team.

Radiographs revealed skeletal abnormalities on Rosie.

“Despite the evaluations and tests, we could not conclusively determine if she hatched with these abnormalities or if the parents were a little too zealous in their care for her,” said Dr. Anderson in a prepared statement.

The goal was set to help strengthen her core and leg muscles and get her from laying on her belly to sitting upright, bearing weight on her legs and feet, and eventually walking.

In addition to collaboration, ideas and diagrams, there were trips to the hardware and fabric stores to create a much needed “penguin jump-a-roo.”

Like a baby bouncer seat attached to a doorway, an apparatus resembling an infant jumper was necessary to help build core muscle development and exercise and small enough for a baby penguin.

Ms. Peranteau bought a “micro-preemie” onesie, elastic straps, and gromet. She sewed one end of the elastic “suspenders” to the shoulders of the onesie and attached gromets to the other end for an adjustable “sling,” detaileld the release.

The team then secured it to a PVC pipe frame built in-house to safely support Rosie as she participated in her therapy sessions.