Penguin Deaths At London Zoo

10 October 2012, 18:37 | Updated: 10 October 2012, 18:39

Six penguins have died after an outbreak of malaria at London Zoo this summer.

The birds contracted the avian strain of the disease from mosquitoes and died in August, despite the zoo taking extra precautions to prevent the killer infection.

Zookeepers increased the birds' anti-malaria medication due to fears that the wet weather created the perfect conditions for mosquitoes to thrive.

Avian malaria cannot be passed on to humans, nor can it be passed from bird to bird, and the zoo says the remaining penguins are "healthy and well".

London Zoo has three different species of penguin and it was six Humboldt penguins which died.