Rare Antarctic visitor: Emperor penguin's unexpected Australian beach trip ends
A lost emperor penguin made history by swimming 3500km from Antarctica to Australiaʼs southwest coast. After 20 days of care the unusual beach-goer was safely returned to ocean waters
Last year a remarkable event happened when an emperor penguin made an unprecedented journey — swimming roughly 3500km from its Antarctic home to reach Australiaʼs temperate shores. The lost bird (first-ever recorded case of such migration) ended up at Ocean Beach near the town of Denmark in south-west Australia
The male penguinʼs beach adventure started on nov-1st when locals spotted him wandering on sand-dunes. Western Australiaʼs Parks and Wildlife Service took care of the unusual visitor (who seemed tired but healthy) and kept him under observation for about 20 days
The wildlife team made a well-thought decision to release their cold-weather guest back into the ocean on nov-21st from their service boat. The penguinʼs journey north — which was approximately 2200-miles long took him far beyond his ice-covered natural habitat where these birds usually dont venture
The emperor penguinʼs unexpected appearance marked a significant moment in Australian wildlife history as no other member of its species has ever been documented making such a long-distance swim to reach the continentʼs mainland shores
