Copper-Zinc Vests Tested on Injured Penguins in Chile

On August 31, researchers in Chile unveiled a therapeutic vest made from red fabric woven with microscopic copper and zinc particles. The suits are intended to protect surgical wounds and accelerate healing in Humboldt and Magellanic penguins rescued at the Humboldt Conservation Center in Coquimbo. Five birds have so far been fitted with the vests after injuries—most commonly from entanglement in fishing nets.

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Humboldt penguins, classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, inhabit Chile’s central rocky coast, which supports about 80 % of the global remaining population. Scientists at the Universidad de Concepción estimate that numbers have fallen to fewer than 20,000 from roughly 45,000 in the late 1990s. A 2024-2025 survey cited by the Taipei Times reported a 63 % drop in active nests compared with three years earlier, attributing the decline to net entanglement, plastic pollution, disease, competition with fisheries, and the warming effects of El Niño.

Taipei Times

Copper and zinc are incorporated directly into the fibers, not merely coated on the surface. According to Kimba Vet’s marketing manager, copper inhibits bacterial and fungal growth, while zinc promotes angiogenesis, fostering faster tissue repair. The design also limits the birds’ ability to twist their flexible necks and dislodge stitches, a common challenge in penguin rehabilitation.

Taipei Times

Veterinarian Tomas Pino, president of the Humboldt Conservation Center, noted that the vests are well tolerated and that wound condition improved noticeably from one day to the next. Estefanía Guidotti of Kimba Vet highlighted the technology’s differentiating factor of faster tissue recovery. Ignacio Idalsoaga, director of the Buin Zoo, explained that similar copper-zinc garments have proven effective for dogs and cats, prompting the adaptation for penguins.

Reuters

• “This is a differentiating factor of this technology versus others, allowing tissues ?to recover faster,” — Estefanía Guidotti, Kimba's marketing manager

Reuters

• “For years, vests with microfibers containing elements like copper and zinc have been tested on pets, particularly dogs and cats, and have greatly helped in the recovery of skin wounds,” — Ignacio Idalsoaga

Taipei Times

• “We began to wonder — why can’t this be used on penguins?” — Ignacio Idalsoaga

Taipei Times

• “Especially now, with all the problems caused by El Nino, we’re likely to see many abandoned chicks in the coming weeks, with injuries they suffer in the environment,” — Ignacio Idalsoaga

Taipei Times

• “We’ve seen that the penguins tolerate it quite well,” — Tomas Pino, veterinarian and president of the Humboldt Conservation Center

Taipei Times