Uma equipe de especialistas oculares realizou uma cirurgia salvadora em um pinguim no zoológico de Chester. Os conservacionistas notaram o problema quando o Munch estava tendo dificuldades para pegar peixes durante o tempo de alimentação e começou a esbarrar em outros membros da colônia de pinguins de Humboldt do zoológico-uma espécie listada pela união internacional para a conservação da natureza (IUCN) como o MUTING ENSIMEN EN EXTINCTION EN 297
Four-year-old Munch, a Humboldt penguin at Chester Zoo, was discovered to be experiencing blindness in both of his eyes from cataracts, a disorder which creates cloudy patches on the lens which get bigger overtime.
Bird conservationists noticed the issue when Munch was having difficulty catching fish during feeding times and started bumping into other members of the zoo’s colony of Humboldt penguins – a species listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as vulnerable to extinction.
Following an assessment by the zoo’s team of on-site vets, it was decided that only specialist treatment could save Munch’s sight, and so animal optical care experts at Eye Vet were called in to help perform the zoo’s first ever penguin cataracts operation.
Now, just a few weeks after his surgery, experts at the zoo have reported that Munch is back with the rest of the colony and nearing a full recovery.
Sophie Bissaker, Parrots and Penguin Keeper at Chester Zoo, said:
“Vimos que Munch estava nadando mais devagar que o normal e estava lutando para mergulhar no peixe em tempos de alimentação - e se um pinguim não pode pegar um peixe, você sabe que algo está errado. Foi quando chamamos os veterinários do zoológico. O olho veterinário em Sutton Weaver, Cheshire, onde passou por um procedimento de duas horas para remover cuidadosamente as cataratas nos olhos. O primeiro pinguim em que eu operei-eles não são clientes regulares, com certeza. O Eye Vet estava, portanto, mais do que feliz em doar equipamento e tempo para ajudar. Também abordamos várias empresas que fabricam itens específicos que precisávamos para a cirurgia para ver se eles gentilmente doaram para nós e, maravilhosamente, todos concordaram. Estamos muito felizes em relatar que a cirurgia foi bem -sucedida e o Munch agora está bem no caminho de fazer uma recuperação completa. Ele foi definitivamente a melhor parte do meu ano.
“After a thorough examination, the team discovered that Munch had cloudy patches on the lenses in each of his eyes – leaving him with very little sight in his left eye and none at all in his right. This meant that only specialist treatment could save his vision.”
Munch was quickly transported by the zoo’s dedicated bird keepers to specialist veterinary ophthalmologists at Eye Vet in Sutton Weaver, Cheshire, where he underwent a 2-hour procedure to carefully remove cataracts in his eyes.
Iona Mathieson, Veterinary Ophthalmologist at Eye Vet and expert in animal optical care, carried out the delicate surgery.
She said:
“I’ve been in the veterinary field for almost 24 years and Munch is the very first penguin I’ve operated on – they’re not regular clients that’s for sure. Unfortunately, because his quality of life was impacted by the diminished sight, surgery was the only option we had available to us.
“We had seen the news about how the Covid-19 pandemic had massively impacted Chester Zoo, and this sort of surgery can certainly be costly. Eye Vet was therefore more than happy to donate both equipment and time to help out. We also approached several companies that manufacture specific items that we needed for the surgery to see if they’d kindly donate it to us and, wonderfully, they all agreed. We’re really happy to report that the surgery was successful and Munch is now well on the way to making a full recovery.
“Like many of the staff at the zoo, our team has worked throughout the national lockdowns, so we’re all feeling mentally and physically exhausted, but taking care of Munch was just the morale boost that we all needed. It’s an amazing feeling knowing that we’ve helped save him, he’s the first thing that made me smile in a long time and caring for him was definitely the best part of my year. We can’t wait to visit him and the penguin colony now that the zoo has reopened.”
Após seu procedimento, Munch passou algum tempo se recuperando em um pool de viveiro mais raso enquanto os detentores monitoravam seu progresso pós-cirurgia. Durante esse período, ele se juntou a seu parceiro e melhor amigo, Wurly, que o manteve companhia durante toda a recuperação.
Sophie Adicionado:
“Foi importante que Munch tivesse um tempo longe do resto do grupo por algumas semanas após a cirurgia enquanto fazemos o check-up. Então, tenho certeza de que ela deu um grande conforto a ele. Ele é um rapaz confiante e feliz novamente! Por especialistas estarem entre os mais em risco.
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“We are incredibly lucky to have our onsite vet team who dedicate their time and expertise solely to the 20,000 animals in our care. That, alongside the wonderful generosity from the team at Eye Vet, is the reason Munch’s recovery has been so successful.”
Of the world’s 18 penguin species, the Humboldt penguin is becoming increasingly rare and is considered by experts to be among the most at risk.
Found on the rocky coastal shores of Peru and Chile, the penguins face a number of threats such as climate change, over-fishing of their natural food sources and rising acidity and temperature levels in the oceans – all causing the penguins to search further from their nests for fish and increasing their vulnerability.
