A bald baby penguin who was abandoned at birth has been accepted back into his family thanks to the nurturing intervention of staff at an aquarium in China.
The baby bird is completely featherless and was rejected by its family following its birth in Liaoning Province of China last month.
"Its parents kicked it out from time to time, or even left it on the icy ground to let it die," a keeper at the aquarium said.
Experts decided his lack of fluff was down to digestive problems, and set up a round-the-clock care group to hand-feed the youngster and coax him back to health.
After a month of this routine, the keepers were delighted to see that the as yet unnamed penguin had grown much healthier and had even developed feathers.
He was then successfully re-introduced to his family, who accepted him back into the fold.
See adorable photos of the baby penguin, both pre and post-feathers, above and below.
Picture Credit: Rex Features
Before, when he was abandoned...
And after, having been treated at the aquarium and accepted back into his family...
.jpg?m=1331644725)
