At the New England Aquarium, a very special penguin gets a very special pair of shoes.
An African penguin named "Beach Donkey" just got a custom pair of shoes at the New England Aquarium. Beach Donkey is 24 years old which is amazing in itself as she has outlasted many of the penguins that live in the wild. But because of Beach Donkey's longevity, she is living with a foot condition called bumblefoot which can actually be deadly in penguins.
Luckily, researchers have discovered that by creating essentially an orthopedic shoe for the penguins, they can extend the life and comfort for penguins suffering with bumblefoot. Surprisingly, Beach Donkey didn't initially take to the new shoes. But allowing her to walk about the aquarium and visit the exhibits has given her the inspiration to give the shoes a try.
Check out Beach Donkey in her adorable little shoes as she clicks around the aquarium!