Western Australia’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions said that on November 1, 2024, an emperor penguin arrived at a beach in southwestern Australia. Somehow, the emperor penguin made it from the frigid waters of Antarctica – normally, the exclusive home to these birds – to the temperate waters off the coast of Australia. It’s a distance of more than 2,000 miles (3,200 km). This is the first time an emperor penguin has been known to reach Australia, and just how he did it is still unknown.
NBC News reported that after 20 days in the care of Carol Biddulph, a seabird rehabilitator and registered wildlife caretaker, and her husband Graham, a veterinarian, the bird gained enough weight and strength to be released into the Southern Ocean. The Western Australia parks department said:
Emperor penguins are known to travel up to 1,600 km [1,000 mi] on foraging trips, and we’re optimistic this remarkable bird is ready to continue its voyage.
The first emperor penguin to arrive in Australia has become famous around the world. And with good reason! You don’t get to see a penguin on the beach every day. When Gus arrived at Ocean Beach in Western Australia, it was some local surfers who found him and asked for help.
When the emperor penguin first came into the hands of Carol Biddulph, the poor animal was malnourished and weighed only 50 pounds (23 kg). An adult male emperor penguin weighs about 89 pounds (40 kg). Carol did not know if he would make it. When she began feeding him, she even resorted to liquid food and, days later, she offered him solid food, such as fish.
This strong penguin demonstrated his will to live. That was when Carol thought of the emperors of the past and named him Gus, after the Roman emperor Augustus. On Wednesday, November 20, after a final veterinary check, his caretakers released Gus from a vessel off the southern coast of Western Australia, in the hope that he could join the rest of the emperors in Antarctica.
The park department said the animal was not fitted with a tracker. So, the service is asking members of the public to report any further sighting of the emperor penguin to the Wildcare Helpline.
The emperor penguin is the largest penguin in the world. An individual can measure up to 4 feet (1.2 m) in height and weigh between 44 and 88 pounds (20 and 40 kg). These animals only live in Antarctica, on the ice and in the extremely cold waters of the South Pole.
In addition, they cannot fly like other birds, since their wings are rigid and flattened, as if they were paddles. However, this shape makes them ideal for swimming and diving. In fact, emperor penguins are able to dive in the ocean to a depth of more than 1,650 feet (500 m), farther than any other bird.
They can also stay underwater for more than 20 minutes and swim at speeds of up to 19 miles per hour (30 kmh), although this is only for short periods. Their normal speed is usually between 2.5 and 6.2 miles per hour (4 and 10 kmh).
These magnificent creatures have developed techniques for living in the cold. They can even withstand wind chills of up to -76 F (-60 C). When temperatures are this low, penguins huddle together to protect themselves from the wind and stay warm.
Emperor penguins are also generous, as each takes turns moving into the middle of the group, where they are more sheltered and warmer. When one penguin has warmed up a bit, it goes back to the outside of the group so that others can move in.
For an emperor penguin, it’s better to be cold than hot. That’s because these animals have an excellent coat. Emperor penguins look like they’re wearing a formal outfit of a white shirt and black jacket. But their body is covered by a dense layer of feathers, about 15 feathers per square centimeter. The life expectancy of this bird is approximately 20 years, although some members of this species have been known to live up to 50 years.
Another example of their strength is that the emperor is the only penguin species that breeds and raises its young during the harsh Antarctic fall and winter. It is also the only penguin species that raises its young on the ice and without the help of nests.
Females lay a single egg and pass it to the male, who is in charge of protecting and incubating it while the females go fishing to eat. Incubation lasts 62 to 64 days, and during this time, the male does not move or eat until the female returns. Because of this, these loving parents can lose more than 22 pounds (10 kg) of weight during this process.
Emperor penguins have a unique communication system to locate their mate and chicks. This series of vocalizations is more complex than those of other species.
It’s no wonder that poor Gus was given a mirror, so he wouldn’t feel alone while Graham and Carol Biddulph were taking care of him. As you can see, these creatures are super sociable and live in a community. Perhaps the penguins in his community in Antarctica missed Gus as much as he probably missed them. We at EarthSky hope he gets home safe and sound!
Bottom line: An emperor penguin, normally a resident of Antarctica, reached the temperate waters of Australia. How is that possible? Read more about penguin Gus and his adventure through the seas.
Via:
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
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