SeaWorld's 'Naked' Penguin Starts New Year With New Feathers

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

ORLANDO (CBSMiami) -- The female penguin who was given a custom wetsuit to bare the cold has started 2017 with a fresh new coat of feathers.

The 'naked' Adelie penguin, named Wonder Twin, had previously experienced feather loss, which can sometimes happen to the aquatic birds in their natural habitats and wild populations, according to SeaWorld Orlando.

That's when staff got the idea to cover her with a special suit mimicking her natural coat of feathers to regulate her body temperature.

"Wonder Twin's story captured a great deal of attention when guests of the park began to see her in the Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin habitat wearing the wetsuit," said the park.

But now the 26-year-old penguin has regrown a new coat of her own.

"With the help of her wetsuit and continued care from the SeaWorld Orlando team, Wonder Twin has successfully regrown a new coat of feathers and no longer needs to wear her wetsuit," staff said.

Team members said they couldn't believe the transformation.

We're all amazed. We're absolutely amazed," said SeaWorld Aviculturist TJ Dray. "You see this bird and what she was going through, and now here she is. It's just so cool, she's got all of her feathers now and she's spending more time in the water and she's feeding in the water. I just think it's the neatest thing."