Humboldt Penguin Ralph At Marwell Wildlife Needs A New Wetsuit (PICTURES)

Bald Penguin Needs New Threads After Wearing His Wetsuit Out
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A penguin who has to wear a wetsuit to protect him from the sun and keep him warm at night needs a new set of threads after wearing out his current costume.

Ralph, a Humboldt penguin, loses his feathers quicker than his companions at Marwell Wildlife in Hampshire, hence the rather natty swimwear.

But with all his swimming and grooming, Ralph's wetsuit has seen better days and is coming apart at the seams as well as fraying around the edges.

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Waterproof: Ralph in his (rather frayed-looking) wetsuit

The 13-year-old bird has been snagging his suit on the rocks in his enclosure and regularly grooms it, just as he would with his feathers - with his partner Coral often joining in.

A spokesman for the zoo said: "Aside from wearing a wetsuit, Ralph swims, eats and plays just like his friends. The rubber in the wetsuit, which is the same as a human’s wetsuit, is extremely flexible and doesn’t restrict his movement.

"The last wetsuit was made to fit Ralph and had Velcro to make it easy to adjust when his feathers begin to come through and we are hoping for the same again. Although the wetsuit is the same material as a humans it will need extra features to make it ideal for Ralph.

"The other penguins were a little surprised when he first wore it but they soon got used to it and Ralph is perfectly happy to wear it.

"We are now appealing for a new wetsuit for him- something that fits perfectly and is suited to the life of a penguin!"

If you think you can help contact Marwell Wildlife to discuss Ralph's exact specifications.

In honour of the stress-sensitive creatures, here are 20 cute pictures of penguins teaching you how to relieve tension and be positive:

20 Positive Penguins
Don't worry about your weight: it's who you are inside that counts(01 of20)
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(credit:PA)
Shoulders back, deeeeep breaths(02 of20)
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Chilling out with your mates can help relieve tension(03 of20)
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(credit:PA)
Fake A Smile And Soon It'll Be A Real One(04 of20)
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(credit:PA)
Don't be afraid to stand up and be counted(05 of20)
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(credit:PA)
Imagine you are on a beach with no one around you(06 of20)
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(credit:PA)
Sometimes a kiss and a hug helps (07 of20)
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Downward Dog(08 of20)
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Look on the bright side: sometimes being different can get you notice(09 of20)
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(credit:PA)
Learning a new skill can take your mind off things(10 of20)
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(credit:PA)
Go with the flow(11 of20)
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Embrace the loneliness and learn to love yourself(12 of20)
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Give your partner some attention(13 of20)
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Sometimes we all want to scream, that's natural(14 of20)
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If you've been holding back, now is the time to take the plunge(15 of20)
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Stand out from the crowd(16 of20)
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When you're happy and you know it clap your hands(17 of20)
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Sometimes you just want your mum(18 of20)
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If you love someone, let them be who they want to be(19 of20)
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Do all these things and soon you'll be hanging with the stars(20 of20)
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(credit:PA)