The Adelie Road ends in Antarctica in New Zealand

The Adélie penguin develops naturally in Antarctica It ended up on a rocky New Zealand beach a few days ago, more than 3,000 kilometers from its natural habitat. After being pampered, the bird was released into the wild with its belly full of fish, hoping it could return to its native habitat.

A few months ago, a baby walrus was two meters long headlines They ended up in County Kerry, Ireland. The news was surprising because these animals usually live in the Arctic Circle, several thousand kilometers to the north. According to biologists, this walrus likely drifted on an iceberg after sleeping on it. Today, head to the Southern Hemisphere.

Intruder on the beach

On November 10, the Adélie penguin found itself on a rocky beach in New Zealand, in More than 3200 km Who is home. Remember that Adélie penguins are one of five species of penguins that live exclusively in Antarctica and the surrounding islands. It measures about 70 cm in length and weighs between 3.8 and 5.4 kg.

According to the cartoon, the bird nicknamed “Bingo” by locals was found disoriented as it wandered around the beach at Birdling Flat. Under the care of biologists, he was taken to the Penguin Rehabilitation Center in Christchurch for treatment. On site researchers pointed thinness; The animal, which must be between one and two years old, was also seriously dehydrated.

Feed and watered, Pingu was able to regain his strength before releasing him the next day, hoping he could make the return trip.

Pingu is just The third individual of its kind ever seen in New Zealand. The first was a dead specimen that was found submerged on the beach in 1962. The second, alive this time, was seen in Kaikoura. in 1993.

Link with climate change?

Why this penguin traveled to New Zealand, scientists are not sure. But they suspect that this gap can occur Link to their food supply and climate change. In fact, according to Thomas Strack of Penguin Rehabilitation in Christchurch, penguins sometimes veer off course when the water is warm, and their prey prefers cooler water.

As Philip Seddon, a zoologist at the University of Otago in New Zealand, notes, warden that penguins” like guardsWarning at an early stage of the various developments taking place in the marine environment.