BERLIN (AP) — German police say a Humboldt penguin has been stolen out of its cage from a zoo in the city of Mannheim.
Zookeepers noticed the penguin missing on Saturday during a routine count of the South American birds, the dpa news agency reported Monday.
After a search of the grounds, zoo personnel were unable to find any signs that the penguin, which is about 50 centimeters (20 inches) tall and weighs 5 kilograms (11 pounds), escaped and they concluded that it was stolen.
The bird has a number 53 on its wing and also an implanted chip to help identify it.
Zookeepers are pleading for the return of the bird, saying that without its special diet and controlled environment it will not survive.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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