Emperor Penguin Rescued in Australia and Returned to Its Natural Habitat

The first emperor penguin found in Australia has been released after spending 20 days in the care of a wildlife expert. The penguin, nicknamed Gus, was found malnourished on a tourist beach and gained over seven pounds under the care of rehabilitator Carol Biddulph and her husband. The bird, weighing around 50 pounds and standing at 3 feet 3 inches tall, was released back into the ocean off the coast of Western Australia. The team gave the penguin fluids, then slurry, and eventually whole fish until it was able to eat on its own. Gus was also given a mirror for companionship. It is unknown how the penguin ended up in Australia from the Antarctic. Emperors are the largest of all penguins and can travel up to almost 1,000 miles on foraging trips lasting up to a month. The release of Gus gives the bird a fighting chance of survival in a different climate thousands of miles away from its home range. Biddulph expressed excitement about being part of the penguin’s journey from rescue to release, wishing Gus good luck and urging it to keep going south. The Australian government emphasized the time-critical need to return the bird to the ocean with warmer weather approaching.

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