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Willener and her team put the penguins on treadmills before and after their fast to see how the extra weight affects their ability to walk.
The findings were revealed by the study's title: "Fat King Penguins Are Less Steady on Their Feet."
"Further research, such as investigating different walking speeds and including gyroscope recordings, may elucidate biomechanical adaptations developed by this primarily aquatic bird to its terrestrial environment, which can involve carrying extensive body fat reserves over distance," the study says.
The team shared sped-up footage of the penguins walking on treadmills to illustrate their findings.