Emperor penguin found malnourished on Australia tourist beach

A malnourished emperor penguin that was found more than 2,000 miles from its icy Antarctic home is being taken care of by a wildlife expert, the Australian government said Monday.

The penguin was found on a popular tourist beach in the town of Denmark in southwestern Australia on Nov. 1, according to the Western Australia state’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

“The penguin appeared to be malnourished and was removed from the beach to avoid potential threats,” it said in a statement.

Authorities haven't said why the penguin had ventured some 2,200 miles north of the waters off the Antarctic coast. It was the first time that an emperor, the largest penguin species, was known to have reached Australia.

Seabird rehabilitator Carol Biddulph is now caring for the animal.

“The bird sort of turned at an angle and I could see its backbone protruding,” Biddulph said in a video interview. “I thought this bird is well undernourished, so that was a real consideration for bringing it in.”

The team initially weighed the penguin at about 50 pounds, only around half of the weight of a healthy male. It stands at some 3 feet, 3 inches tall.

It’s “such a privilege to be part of this bird’s journey,” Biddulph said. “Never in my wildest thoughts would I thought I’d ever have an emperor penguin to care for. It’s just, it’s just amazing.”

At this stage, efforts remain focused on rehabilitating the penguin, the government department said. “Options around release are still being worked through.”

Peter Guo

Peter Guo is a fellow on NBC’s Asia Desk, based in Hong Kong.