San Francisco Zoo Performs Annual Exams on 50+ Magellanic Penguins

Dozens of Magellanic penguins at the San Francisco Zoo and Gardens underwent their annual physical exams, part of routine veterinary care to monitor heart, lung, eye and foot health and maintain the colony’s welfare. An Instagram post from the zoo said, "The 50+ magellanic penguins at the SF Zoo are getting their annual checkups Thursday morning, including eye check, beak and toenail trimming."

The exams were held at Penguin Island on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, with veterinarians and keepers examining each bird’s heart, lungs, eyes, feet, flippers and beaks and checking for common problems such as foot lesions and cataracts. Staff weighed the penguins during the assessments and provided beak reshaping and toenail trimming as part of the procedures. After each exam, keepers returned the birds to Penguin Island where the penguins "waddled away and basked in the sun," a post-exam behavior noted by on-site coverage.

Zoo staff emphasized minimizing stress during the checks. Dannemiller said, "There are a lot of animals and even people that don’t enjoy going to the doctor, but I think we try to make it as stress-free as possible." Dannemiller added, "When we do the exam, we’re really efficient. We want to make sure that we’re prioritizing their well-being." Photographs from the session were credited to Alise Maripuu/Bay City News.

Scout, identified as the oldest member of the colony at 36 years old, required little fuss and returned to the habitat with the other birds. The San Francisco Zoo’s annual schedule for penguin exams aligns with broader veterinary practice: the California Academy of Sciences notes that penguins commonly receive physical examinations on a yearly basis as part of ongoing animal-health programs that include nutrition oversight, treatments and periodic welfare assessments.

For San Francisco residents, the exams are both an animal-welfare measure and a visible example of the zoo’s routine operations that support public education and wildlife care. The checks help staff detect conditions early, maintain the penguins’ suitability for public exhibits, and inform nutrition and enclosure management decisions that affect colony health and visitor experience.

The zoo has provided basic details about the day’s procedures and the colony’s routine care; those seeking additional specifics on the number of birds examined, any diagnoses identified, or follow-up treatments can expect updates from the zoo as staff complete their post-exam reviews.