15 Nov Emperor Penguin Journey – Antarctica to Western Australia
Credit: DBCA Department of Biodiversity Conservation & Attractions
In early November, an unexpected visitor arrived on Ocean Beach in Denmark, Western Australia. An adult male Emperor Penguin was spotted waddling along the beach, south of Perth. Emperor Penguins live in Antarctica and for this penguin to be so far north, is nothing short of astonishing.
The Emperor is the largest of the 18 penguin species. Adults can weigh up to 40kg at the start of breeding season. Some Emperors live to more than 40 years but most do not live that long in the wild. Their closest relative is the King Penguin. Emperor Penguins not only survive the Antarctic winter but they breed during the worst weather conditions on earth (the Antarctic winter) during June to August.
Credit: Aaron Fowler
They have excellent insulation in the form of several layers of scale-like feathers – it takes very strong winds (over 110km per hour) to get them ruffled. In proportion to their overall size, they have small bills and flippers to conserve heat. Their nasal chambers also recover much of the heat that is normally lost during exhalation. Emperor penguins have large reserves of energy-giving body fat and a relatively low level of activity during winter. They are very social creatures and one of their survival mechanisms is to huddle together to keep warm.
The Emperor Penguin that arrived in WA must have completed a 3500km swim and scientists believe it is likely the longest journey ever recorded for the species. Nicknamed “Gus” by wildlife carers, the penguin arrived in Australia malnourished and needing some care, especially being in such unfamiliar, warm territory.
Credit: DBCA – Miles Brotherson
The young male stands about 1 metre tall and probably started its journey from one of the 60 known Emperor Penguin colonies in eastern Antarctica. It is thought strong currents may have caused him to swim so far off course.
Scientists in the Antarctic attached small satellite tracking devices to the backs of Emperor Penguins to find out where they go when they enter the water. They equipped the females with the trackers just before they spend the winter in the pack-ice. In the 76 days or so they were absent from the colony, they travelled 2,600km. Interestingly, they were not more than 130km away from the colony travelling backwards and forwards along the continental shelf break. In summer, the adult penguins travelled much further. They tended to go north into very deep waters and then return to the fast-ice off the continent from 180 to more than 550km west of their colonies. All these emperor penguins had left their chicks and were fattening up before their moult.
Based on this research, we know Gus was definitely a very long way from his colony and very likely an unintentional veer of his normal course.
The registered wildlife carer, Carole Biddulph, and her veterinarian husband, Graham, looked after Gus in consultation with The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) for the care of the bird, with ongoing advice from the University of Western Australia.
Gus was released from a National Parks & Wildlife Service boat, which travelled for several hours from the State’s most southerly city of Albany, out into the Southern Ocean on Wednesday 20 November after his 20-day stopover. He had gained 3.5kg while in care and passed several vet health checks before his farewell. It was critical to return Gus to his natural environment especially with the warmer weather approaching. Good luck, Gus!!
https://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/animals/penguins/emperor-penguin/