An Australian family had an unusual encounter at the beach recently, when they came across an emperor penguin that was a very long way from its home in Antarctica.
DENMARK, Western Australia – A family’s beach day took an unexpected turn after an extraordinary encounter when they stumbled upon a creature far from its icy Antarctic home: an emperor penguin.
The bewildered bird had traveled more than 2,000 miles, setting a record for the northernmost sighting of its species.
Jazz Bailey, who captured the encounter on Nov. 1, recounts how a friend first spotted the lost penguin. Intrigued, she and her children rushed to the beach to witness the incredible sight.
“Sure enough, there it was just waddling along the sand, seeming a little lost but so very chill and inquisitive of us,” she shared on Facebook.
LONELY EMPEROR PENGUIN WADDLES ASHORE IN POSSIBLE FIRST FOR AUSTRALIA AFTER 2,000-MILE JOURNEY
An Australian family had an unusual encounter at the beach recently, when they came across an emperor penguin that was a very long way from its home in Antarctica.
(Jazz Bailey via Storyful)
The experience was both awe-inspiring and surreal for Bailey.
“I can’t even imagine the journey it had been on,” she added.
The penguin, affectionately named Gus, is now in Carol Biddulph’s care with the country’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
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An Australian family had an unusual encounter at the beach recently, when they came across an emperor penguin that was a very long way from its home in Antarctica.
(Jazz Bailey via Storyful)
Biddulph said Gus was quite underweight at 51 pounds, as healthy male emperor penguins typically weigh over 100 pounds.
“Never in my wildest thoughts would I (have) thought I’d ever have an emperor penguin to care for,” the experienced local seabird rehabilitator said. “It’s just amazing. It’s just such a privilege to be part of this bird’s journey.”
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A lone and malnourished emperor penguin, thousands of miles from its Antarctic home, was spotted waddling ashore earlier this month on a popular southern Australian beach. This particular species was the first to be recorded in Western Australia after making the over 2,000-mile swim, according to wildlife officials now caring for the animal.
Veterinarians and wildlife experts from the University of Western Australia are also offering their expertise to guide the rehabilitation process, including the possibility of returning it to Antarctica.
Belinda Cannell, a research fellow at the University of Western Australia, told local media that this was the first sighting of an emperor penguin so far north.
“The tracked ones have never reached this far,” she said.
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A malnourished emperor penguin that landed on a popular tourist beach in Denmark, Western Australia continues to be cared for by a registered wildlife carer.
(Miles Brotherson/DBCA)
To help the bird adjust to the unfamiliar climate, wildlife experts have been misting it with chilled water.
While the exact cause of the penguin’s epic voyage remains a mystery, strong ocean currents are suspected of having swept it far off course.