Adorable video shows cute fluffy baby Humboldt penguin learning to stand again using baby bouncer

Watch how a baby penguin found her waddle again after zookeepers nursed her back to health - using a homemade baby bouncer. Video (click to play above) shows Flop the Humboldt penguin as she learns to stand again using the home-made device. Flop was born at Dudley Zoo in April but her mother passed away shortly after and her dad started to leave the nest for long periods. Zookeepers had to step in and hand rear the chick, moving her to a juvenile isolation area, however she then began developing a limp.

Vets gave her anti-inflammatories and pain relief but less than 24 hours later the animal could no longer support her own weight. Blood tests revealed a reaction to an infection and she was given further medication. Flop started to lose her appetite and became withdrawn - sparking concern among staff that she may not survive. But keepers had the ingenious idea of using a baby bouncer to help keep her upright. They also made a tailor-made treadmill by adapting a baby walker for her.

Flop started to use her feet to try to push herself up, but she still couldn’t lift her head, instead lifting her hips to slide on her tummy across the floor. After consulting with the Toronto Zoo in Canada, which had dealt with a penguin with a similar issue, the keepers were able to provide better care for Flop. She began gaining weight and was reintroduced to the isolation area in Penguin Bay for short, supervised swims. Within days, she started lifting her head and standing upright without extra help.

A zoo spokesperson said: "This made a huge difference to her recovery and within days, she started to lift her head and stumble forward and eventually she began standing upright all by herself. The team brought in an animal physiotherapist, giving the bird team a series of exercises they could do with Flop to gradually build her strength.

“And just over a month later, Flop was able to spend her first whole day by herself in the isolation area with the other juveniles, where she currently remains before they all make a gradual return to the main colony.”