California Penguin Gets Fitted For Little Prosthetic Boots

A penguin in California is currently rocking a new fashion accessory to help with a painful condition, according to CBS 8 News.

Lucas, a prominent member of the San Diego Zoo's penguin colony, was recently diagnosed with a chronic condition called bumblefoot. The 4-year-old penguin developed a spinal infection more than three years ago that left him with weak leg muscles and the inability to properly stand upright on his toes. The condition forced him to stand on areas of his ankles which normally wouldn't touch the ground, causing sores to form on his foot and legs. If left untreated, bumblefoot can lead to sepsis and death by secondary infection.

The Zoo's team reached out to a company called Thera-Paw and asked them to create custom padded boots for Lucas, which should protect the sores already on his feet and lower the risk of him developing new ones. Thera-Paw Senior Fabrication Designer Martha Symon said, “Since he's walking on his ankle it's going to tip him forward a little bit which is more normal for the penguin to walk.”

Lucas seems to love his new accessory. "Since we've been able to put his shoes on him, he's shown a much more normal gait walking on flat surfaces. There's no limping. There's no favoring his left side,” Lucas' longtime Wildlife Care Specialist Debbie Denton said. Check out a photo in his new boots below.