Picchu the penguin underwent surgery recently to remove a dime he had ingested, most likely thrown in the exhibit by a visitor to the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids.
Picchu is a Magellanic penguin. Vets discovered the object during a routine x-ray exam. The zoo's veterinary team used endoscopy equipment to remove the dime.
"Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for objects to be thrown into habitats at the zoo," officials said. "In this case, the silver dime closely resembled the shiny appearance of fish, a main part of a penguin's diet."
Picchu is recovering well from the procedure.
