The first emperor penguin found in Australia was released after spending 20 days in the care of wildlife expert Carol Biddulph and her husband, a veterinarian. The penguin, nicknamed Gus, was found malnourished on a tourist beach on November 1, and gained over seven pounds while under their care. The bird, standing at 3 feet 3 inches tall, was released back into the ocean off the southern coast of Western Australia due to warmer weather approaching. Despite being thousands of miles from its home range and in a different climate, the penguin now has a fighting chance of survival.
The gender of the penguin has not been confirmed, and it is unknown how it ended up in Australia from its Antarctic home. Emperors are the largest of all penguins, with an average height of 3 feet 7 inches, and are known to travel long distances on foraging trips lasting up to a month. Biddulph fed the penguin fluids and slurry until it could eat whole fish, and provided it with a mirror for companionship. As Gus swam away from the vessel, Biddulph wished it good luck and urged it to keep going south. The release of Gus marked the end of a special journey from rescue to release, according to Biddulph.
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