Wanted: Information Regarding a German Zoo’s Stolen Penguin

Have you seen this penguin? If so, the police in Mannheim, Germany would like to hear from you. According to Mashable, this Humboldt penguin disappeared from its enclosure at the Luisenpark zoo on Saturday, February 11, and now the local police are desperate for information regarding its whereabouts.

The seabird went missing sometime between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. that day, and zoo officials believe it was kidnapped, ruling out an independent breakout or an attack from another animal.

The Mannheim police station posted the above plea on their Facebook page Monday, asking for any possible leads the public may have. The feathered victim is between 20 and 24 inches tall, weighs about 11 pounds, and can be identified by a wing marked with the number 53. The penguin is also implanted with an ID chip, which the police say would make it hard to sell.

Humboldt penguins are native to the coasts of Peru and Chile, and there are about 32,000 adults alive today. Luisenpark states that the animal, which is less than a year old, is dependent upon the food and living conditions provided to it by the zoo to survive, adding an extra layer of urgency to the situation.

[h/t Mashable]

Header/banner images: DickDaniels via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0