A wayward emperor penguin was released into the Southern Ocean, 20 days after he swam over 2,000 miles away from his home in Antarctica. He was released from a Parks and Wildlife Service boat on Wednesday. Notably, the penguin affectionately named "Gus," made international headlines after being found on an Australian beach. The young penguin, estimated to be around three feet tall, was discovered by surfers on Ocean Beach on November 1. He was discovered looking weary but alive, marking a rare sighting of the species so far north.
According to ABC News, Gus is believed to have swum thousands of kilometres, possibly carried off course by ocean currents. Gus was taken in by local wildlife caretaker Carol Biddulph, who nursed him back to health. He was severely underweight, weighing only 47 pounds, compared to the average weight of 88 pounds for an emperor penguin.
"I really didn't know whether he was going to make it to begin with because he was so undernourished. I'll miss Gus. It's been an incredible few weeks, something I wouldn't have missed," Ms Biddulph said in a video recorded before the bird's release.
Under Ms Biddulph's care, Gus regained his strength, and his weight increased to around 55 pounds. He was fed a diet of pilchard fish, and by the time of his release, he was eating around 20 fish three times a day.
After a 20-day rehabilitation, Gus was released back into the Southern Ocean on November 21. He was taken to an undisclosed location, where he was placed in a ventilated pet carrier with an ice pack. Once released, Gus belly-flopped into the water and swam away without looking back.
"Magnificent. He just knew where he was supposed to be, didn't give a backward glance and just disappeared. It's just amazing. … He was ready for it," Ms Biddulph said.
Experts are still unsure how Gus ended up so far from home, but theories include getting caught in a current while searching for food or being blown off course by storms. While penguins are naturally curious and prone to wandering, they have never been known to travel as far as Gus did.
Some also said the changing environmental conditions could have led to a scarcity of food and resources in Antarctica, forcing Gus to embark on an epic swim to Australia in search of sustenance.
