Patricia Gill, Denmark Bulletin
An emaciated emperor penguin was found far from his Antarctic home on Ocean Beach on Friday in the first known sighting of the bird species on Australian shores. Gus, named after the Roman emperor Augustus, is reported to be doing well while in the care of a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, Carol Biddulph from the WA Sea Bird Rescue.
The emperor penguin was spotted on Ocean Beach on Friday evening by beachgoers who notified Carol.
She says that the steps to rehabilitating the bird to return to the wild are slow and gradual with emphasis at all times on keeping stress levels as low as possible.
The bird weighed 21.5kg when captured and on the first day was given only fluids to rehydrate with a ‘fish broth’ introduced on the second day.
On Monday, Gus had been given a ‘slurry’ of food of more density than the previous day’s broth.
Carol said that without being properly hydrated Gus could not absorb food and his gut needed stimulating so the amount and variety of food could be built up.
Caring for the bird required three adults and Gus was left alone between feeding so as not to cause any more stress than necessary.
It was far too early to make plans about returning the bird to the wild and this would not occur until it was in good physical condition with ideal plumage and free of injuries.
Carol said she felt ‘under pressure’ in the task of rehabilitating Gus as the bird’s arrival in Australia was so unusual.
Photo: Carol Biddulph.
“It’s a learning experience for me,” she said having rehabilitated wildlife for 25 years and seabirds for 19 years.
In 2011, an emperor penguin was washed up on New Zealand’s North Island Peka Peka Beach and after returning to good health it hitched a ride home via the sub-Antarctic Islands on a research vessel. The bird was well apart from eating sand thinking it was snow. The emperor penguin is the largest of the 18 penguin species. Adults can weigh up to 40kg at the start of the breeding season.
It is unknown why Gus swam so far off course and at first it was thought he was a king penguin but the bird’s markings match that of an emperor penguin.
A king penguin has a solid bright orange cheek patch and the emperor has an orange-yellow cheek patch.
This article appeared in the Denmark Bulletin, 7 November 2024.
