MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The only emperor penguin known to person swum from Antarctica to Australia was released astatine oversea 20 days aft he waddled ashore connected a celebrated tourer beach, officials said Friday.
The big antheral was recovered connected Nov. 1 connected Ocean Beach soil dunes successful nan municipality of Denmark successful temperate southwest Australia — astir 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) northbound of nan icy waters disconnected nan Antarctic coast, nan Western Australia authorities government said. He was released from a Parks and Wildlife Service vessel connected Wednesday.
The vessel traveled for respective hours from nan state’s astir southerly metropolis of Albany earlier nan penguin was released into nan Southern Ocean, but nan authorities didn’t springiness nan region successful its statement.
He had been cared for by registered wildlife caregiver Carol Biddulph, who named him Gus aft nan first Roman emperor Augustus.
“I really didn’t cognize whether he was going to make it to statesman pinch because he was truthful undernourished,” Biddulph said successful video recorded earlier nan bird’s merchandise but released by nan authorities connected Friday.
“I’ll miss Gus. It’s been an unthinkable fewer weeks, thing I wouldn’t person missed,” she added.
Biddulph said she had recovered from caring for different type of lone penguins that mirrors were an important portion of their rehabilitation by providing a comforting consciousness of company.
“He perfectly loves his large reflector and I deliberation that has been important successful his well-being. They’re societal birds and he stands adjacent to nan reflector astir of nan time,” she said.
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Gus gained weight successful her care, from 21.3 kilograms (47 pounds) erstwhile he was recovered to 24.7 kilograms (54 pounds). He stands 1 metre (39 inches) tall. A patient antheral emperor penguin tin measurement much than 45 kilograms (100 pounds).
The largest penguin type has ne'er been reported successful Australia before, University of Western Australia investigation chap Belinda Cannell said, though immoderate had reached New Zealand, astir each of which is further southbound than Western Australia.
The authorities said pinch nan Southern Hemisphere summertime approaching, it had been time-crucial to return Gus to nan water wherever he could thermoregulate.
Emperor penguins person been known to screen up to 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) connected foraging journeys that past up to a month, nan authorities said.