A malnourished emperor penguin found more than 3,000 miles from the frigid Antarctic is being cared for by wildlife experts, the Australian government announced Monday.
The penguin was discovered on November 1 at a popular tourist beach in the town of Denmark in southwest Australia, according to the Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Tourism.
“The penguin appeared to be malnourished and was removed from the beach to avoid any potential threat,” the organization said in a statement.
Officials have not said why the penguins ventured into waters about 3,200 miles north off the coast of Antarctica. It was the first time that the emperor penguin, the largest species of penguin, was confirmed to have arrived in Australia.
Seabird rehabilitator Carol Biddulph is currently caring for the animal.
“The bird kind of turned diagonally and you could see the spine sticking out,” Biddulph said in a video interview. “I thought this bird was severely undernourished, so I seriously considered bringing it in.”
When the researchers initially measured the penguin’s weight, it weighed about 50 pounds, about half the weight of a healthy male. Height is approximately 3 feet 3 inches.
“It’s such an honor to be a part of this bird’s journey,” Biddulph said. “I never imagined I would be taking care of emperor penguins. It’s just amazing.”
The government ministry said efforts at this stage continue to focus on the penguin’s rehabilitation. “Release options are still being considered.”
