Winter Wetsuit

Regular visitors may have spotted Ralph the penguin back in his wetsuit for the winter season.

The 16-year-old Humboldt penguin, who moults much quicker than the other penguins at the zoo, wears a custom-made wetsuit to protect him from the elements.

For the past seven years, Ralph has had a wetsuit to protect him from the sun and keep him warm on colder evenings.

Aside from wearing a wetsuit, Ralph swims, eats and plays just like the other penguins. The rubber in the wetsuit, which is the same as a huma’s wetsuit, is extremely flexible and doesn’t restrict his movement.

His partner Coral can often be seen grooming Ralph’s wetsuit just as she would if he had feathers!