For the first time, an Emperor Penguin was astonishingly observed traveling thousands of kilometers from Antarctica to reach the shores of Australia.
This malnourished penguin was spotted on Ocean Beach, in the town of Denmark, Western Australia.
According to a statement from Australia’s Department of Biodiversity, the penguin is now under the care of trained and registered local wildlife caretakers. The department further stated that it is expected to take several weeks for the penguin to recover, with the wildlife care facility receiving support from the Department of Biodiversity.
Ocean Beach is located more than 3,540 kilometers north of Antarctica, highlighting the incredible journey the penguin undertook to reach Australia.
Belinda Kinnell, a research fellow at the University of Western Australia, explained that the penguin had traveled north from Antarctica. She said that penguins are known for seeking out new places where they can find a variety of food. It is possible that these penguins’ tendency to move northward brought them to Australia.
Local surfer Aaron Fuller shared his experience, recalling that when he first saw the penguin, he couldn’t figure out what it was emerging from the water. As it stood in the waves and rushed straight toward them, they realized it was an Emperor Penguin.
