'Good luck, Gus': Emperor penguin found in Australia is released back into the wild

The first emperor penguin found in Australia has been released after spending 20 days in the care of a wildlife expert, the Australian government said Friday.

The first emperor penguin found in Australia has been released after spending 20 days in the care of a wildlife expert, the Australian government said Friday.

The bird, nicknamed Gus by its caretaker, was released from a vessel off the southern coast of Western Australia on Wednesday morning, according to the state’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

“With warmer weather on the horizon, it was time-critical to return it to the ocean where it could thermoregulate itself,” it said in a statement.

The bird, which was malnourished when found on a popular tourist beach on Nov. 1, gained over seven pounds under the care of seabird rehabilitator Carol Biddulph and her husband, a veterinarian.

Their care and attention has given the Antarctic bird, found thousands of miles outside its home range and in a different climate, a “fighting chance of survival,” the statement said.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/emperor-penguin-found-australia-released-back-wild-rcna181295

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