Emperor Penguin Gus Released Back to the Wild After Historic Journey to Australia

The penguin, found 2,200 miles from its Antarctic home, was rehabilitated and returned to the ocean after 20 days of care.

Gus, the first recorded emperor penguin to reach Australia, was discovered malnourished on a beach in Denmark, Western Australia, on November 1, 2024.
The juvenile male penguin was cared for by wildlife rehabilitator Carol Biddulph, gaining weight and recovering over 20 days before being deemed fit for release.
Experts believe Gus may have been carried off course while foraging or caught in ocean currents, traveling over 2,200 miles from his Antarctic habitat.
On November 20, Gus was released into the Southern Ocean from a boat near Albany, Western Australia, in a time-sensitive effort to ensure his survival in cooler waters.
Emperor penguins, the largest of their species, face threats from climate change due to the loss of Antarctic sea ice, which is critical for their breeding and survival.