Researchers are confused why some of the penguin chicks in South Atlantic are losing their feathers. Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), University of Washington and other groups are trying to find out the cause but so far they have been unsuccessful in finding the root cause of this weird feather loss.
Feather loss disorder is quite uncommon in most bird species. It first appeared in Cape Town, South Africa in 2006. It has been observed that chicks without feathers stay in the sun and some of the penguin chicks die too as per the previous observations.
Other observations say, featherless chicks are smaller in size and weight compared to feathered chicks.
It is believed that the caused for feather loss could be thyroid disorders, pathogens, nutrient imbalances or genetics.
However, the crucial thing is that researchers must find a feasible solution to stop this feather loss disorder. As it is, penguins are facing problems of oil pollution and climate variations. This feather loss disorder is just another addition to the various threats.
