Emperor penguin strays more than 3,200km

Emperor penguins, which live in Antarctica, suddenly appeared on the shore of Ocean Beach, Denmark town, in early November .

A beachgoer spotted the animal and alerted local authorities. This rare and strange encounter may mark the first time the emperor penguin ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) has been seen on the Australian mainland , Interesting Engineering reported on November 13.

Malnourished emperor penguins found on an Australian beach. (Photo: Christopher Tan/X).

The emperor penguin's incredible journey suggests it may have swum north on ocean currents in search of food and ended up travelling much further than expected, according to the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions of Western Australia (DBCA).

'The ones we've tracked have never been this far,' said Belinda Cannell, a researcher at the University of Western Australia. Emperor penguins typically live in the frigid reaches of Antarctica and rarely venture beyond the icy edge of the southern ocean. Cannell speculates that the Ocean Beach penguin's journey may have been influenced by food-rich ocean currents that led it to warmer, unfamiliar waters.

When it was first discovered, the emperor penguin appeared malnourished and needed immediate care. Local seabird rehabilitator Carol Biddulph moved it to a secure enclosure to stabilize it. The DBCA will oversee the animal's recovery with the ultimate goal of releasing it into a suitable environment.

Emperor penguins are renowned for their resilience and endurance in the harsh environment of Antarctica, where they breed in sub-zero winters. That one of them made the long journey to Australia is an extraordinary event that could shed new light on penguin migration patterns, ocean currents, and the broader effects of climate change on marine animals. It also raises intriguing questions for scientists, who are curious to find out whether changes in sea temperatures or unusual ocean currents played a role.