Swami
9th April 2011, 11:25
A mysterious ailment is causing penguins to lose their feathers, according to researchers at the Wildlife Conservation Society.
The condition, called feather-loss disorder, has been seen in penguin chicks in both sides of the Atlantic Ocean the past few years and is featured in a recent edition of the journal "Waterbirds," the release said.
While scientists don't know what could cause a penguin to go "naked," possible culprits include genetics, nutrient imbalances, thyroid disorders or pathogens.
?We need to conduct further study to determine the cause of the disorder and if this is in fact spreading to other penguin species,? Dee Boersma, who has studied Magellanic penguins, said in the release.
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/04/08/t1larg.featherless.bird.gi..jpg
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/08/naked-penguins-have-scientists-perplexed/
The condition, called feather-loss disorder, has been seen in penguin chicks in both sides of the Atlantic Ocean the past few years and is featured in a recent edition of the journal "Waterbirds," the release said.
While scientists don't know what could cause a penguin to go "naked," possible culprits include genetics, nutrient imbalances, thyroid disorders or pathogens.
?We need to conduct further study to determine the cause of the disorder and if this is in fact spreading to other penguin species,? Dee Boersma, who has studied Magellanic penguins, said in the release.
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/04/08/t1larg.featherless.bird.gi..jpg
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/08/naked-penguins-have-scientists-perplexed/