The emperor penguin Gus, who swam to Australia at the beginning of the month, has been returned to the wild. The bird was more than three thousand kilometers from home – in the wild, this species occurs only in Antarctica. The exhausted and malnourished animal regained strength under the supervision of specialists.
An emperor penguin was spotted by surfers in Western Australia on November 1. The animal came ashore at Ocean Beachlocated over 3,000 kilometers from the coast of Antarctica, the natural habitat of this species. Local nature conservation services were informed about the incident.
“He was looking up at the boat, he was looking at us.”
Veterinary observation revealed that the bird, named Gus, was emaciated and malnourished. The services decided to hand the penguin over to waterfowl specialist Carol Biddulph. Within 20 days, Gus gained 3.5 kilograms and regained his strength. As the caregiver explained, at the end of the treatment his feathers were shiny and perfectly protected against water seepage, and his salt glands were working properly – they are necessary to excrete excess salt from the body.
Due to the forecasted warming – it is currently spring in Australia – the caregiver and veterinarians decided to return Gus to the wild. The penguin was released from a conservation vessel off the southern coast of Western Australia on Wednesday. The trial was overseen by a veterinarian and a wildlife officer, and Ms Biddulph was also on board the ship.
“I looked down and he was there, looking up at the boat, looking at us,” she said. – Then he dived and swam away. It was a great feeling, she added.
Gus is the first emperor penguin sighted in Australia. Swimming over 3,000 km is quite a feat even for such an experienced swimming species as the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri). These animals can go on expeditions lasting many weeks in search of food, during which they cover up to 1,600 km.
Main photo source: DBCA