Pelicans George and Pip pop onto a podoscope
Looking after the health of your feet is important at any age, but particularly when you are an ageing Pelican.
Healesville Sanctuary’s 45-year-old pelican, George, and 48-year-old pelican, Pip are receiving some extra special care with the help of a purpose-built podoscope.
The medical device uses an angled mirror to show zoo keepers the underside of the big birds’ feet.
Healesville Sanctuary Bird Coordinator Tammika Stasiak said, because of their age, it is very important to keep a close eye on George and Pip’s health.
“By doing the podoscope training at the pelican pond, we can take a really good look at their feet,” Mrs Stasiak said.
“The podoscope allows us to look for any cracks or lesions that may appear on the bottom of their feet.
Even a small scrape can become infected, which can lead to other health concerns if undetected.”
As well as the podoscope training, Healesville Sanctuary’s pelicans participate in weighing and crate training as part of their ongoing health care.
Zoos Victoria has a commitment to providing whole-of-life care to all animals at its four zoo properties.
A pod of five Pelicans call Healesville Sanctuary home. Visitors can see George, Pip, Percy, Pearly and Storm within the Woodland track precinct.
At 48-years old, Pip is the oldest Pelican in the pod and the oldest animal at the Sanctuary.
Pelicans are native to Australia and live to around 25 years old in the wild. They are also found throughout Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Indonesia.