The first emperor penguin found in Australia was released after 20 days in the care of a wildlife expert. The bird, nicknamed Gus, was found malnourished on a beach and gained over seven pounds under the care of seabird rehabilitator Carol Biddulph. The penguin, weighing about 50 pounds, was released off the southern coast of Western Australia to return to the ocean where it could regulate its body temperature. Biddulph and her husband, a veterinarian, provided the penguin with fluids, slurry, and whole fish to help it recover. The penguin was given a mirror to compensate for its lack of companions. Emperors are the largest penguins, with an average height of 3 feet 7 inches, and are known to travel long distances on foraging trips. It remains unknown how the bird ended up in Australia from its Antarctic home, but its release gives it a fighting chance of survival. Biddulph expressed excitement to be part of Gus’s journey, from rescue to release, and wished the penguin luck as it swam away from the vessel.
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Emperor Penguin Rescued in Australia is Successfully Returned to Natural Habitat
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