MOSSEL BAY NEWS - In what must surely be a first, a nail technician has come to the rescue of a penguin in Mossel Bay which had a broken beak.
The beak of Bekkie the penguin was actually split - perhaps on a rock, it is thought.
Da Nova resident Charnell Munro had taken her dog to Dana Bay vet Dr Marais Cilliers for a check-up on Tuesday, 10 March.
"The penguin was already there," Charnell told the Mossel Bay Advertiser. While Charnell was waiting, she was asked if she knew of a nail technician. She asked: "Why? What do you want her to do?"
It was explained what needed to be done for Bekkie and Charnell, astounded, said: "I am a nail technician."
Photo gallery: Nail technician helps rescue penguin
Charnell told the Mossel Bay Advertiser: "I was at the right spot at the right time."
She used the gel which she uses on people's nails for the bird's beak. Over the gel, she put acrylic.
Dr Cilliers put soft padding on the beak so that the gel would not come into direct contact with the beak. Two little tubes were placed around Bekkie's nostrils. Charnell painted around the tubes and then the tubes were removed so that the nostrils were open.
The area was placed under a ultraviolet light nail oven so that it could dry and harden.
Had a swim
Bekkie had a swim and was hungry after the procedure and had adapted well.
A marine avian expert oversaw the procedure.
Charnelle said: "It took about 45 minutes to build up the layers of gel and harden the gel and acrylic under the nail oven.
"What took the most time was trying to get the penguin quiet." The bird was feisty and not easily sedated. She was incubated and given gas.
Charnell admits: "It was stressful. It was quite a thing, thinking the penguin depended on me and that such a small action could make such a difference. I was sent a picture of her swimming today and I just burst into tears."
Dr Cilliers said that if no support had been provided to the beak, it was in danger of breaking off.
The 'nail job' is a temporary measure while expert research is being done by a professor to find a more permanent solution to the broken beak, such as a prosthetic.
The bird is being monitored. It is unlikely it will be released into the sea one day to fend for itself because the beak is also skew.
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