Lost Antarctic penguin's 2,000-mile odyssey to Australia beach ends with return to Southern Ocean

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Watch: Australian family meets penguin on beach very far from home

An Australian family had an unusual encounter at the beach recently, when they came across an emperor penguin that was a very long way from its home in Antarctica.

DENMARK, Western Australia – A heartwarming tale of rescue and release unfolded this week in Australia as a fearless Antarctic emperor penguin was returned to the vast ocean following his 20-day stay in human care.

A lost emperor penguin, found thousands of miles from its Antarctic home on an Australian beach, was rescued and rehabilitated before being released back into the Southern Ocean.

(Miles Brotherson/DBCA)

The bewildered bird, dubbed Gus, had somehow wandered more than 2,000 miles from his icy home and was found on a sun-drenched beach in Denmark, Western Australia, on Nov. 1. After days of care, he was returned to the Southern Ocean off the coast of Australia on Wednesday.

LONELY EMPEROR PENGUIN WADDLES ASHORE IN POSSIBLE FIRST FOR AUSTRALIA AFTER 2,000-MILE JOURNEY

An Australian family had an unusual encounter at the beach recently, when they came across an emperor penguin that was a very long way from its home in Antarctica.

(Jazz Bailey via Storyful)

Underweight and far from his natural habitat, Gus was taken in by an experienced local seabird rehabilitator.

"He was very thin, and so we had to go through a gentle process of refeeding him, not too fast, not too slow, just right, introducing fluids, then slurry towards whole fish," said Carol Biddulph, Gus's caretaker.

Wildlife carers feed mulies (pilchards) to Gus.

(Miles Brotherson/DBCA)

As Gus regained his strength, packing on almost 8 pounds under a watchful eye, it became clear that returning him to the wild was the best course of action. With the warmer Australian summer approaching, Gus needed to be back in the frigid Antarctic waters to regulate his body temperature.

EMPEROR PENGUINS ARE NOW LISTED AS THREATENED SPECIES

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

Local resident Jazz Bailey was one of the first to spot Gus at Ocean Beach nearly three weeks ago.

"Sure enough, there it was just waddling along the sand, seeming a little lost but so very chill and inquisitive of us," she shared on Facebook. 

AUSTRALIAN FAMILY MEETS ANTARCTIC PENGUIN ON BEACH VERY FAR FROM HOME

An Australian family had an unusual encounter at the beach recently, when they came across an emperor penguin that was a very long way from its home in Antarctica.

(Jazz Bailey via Storyful)

While the exact reason for Gus's extraordinary journey remains a mystery, strong ocean currents may have carried him far off course. Emperor penguins have also been known to cover up to nearly 1,000 miles on foraging trips that last up to a month, the Parks and Wildlife Service said.

As Gus embarks on the next leg of his epic voyage, wildlife experts hope he will thrive in his natural habitat. 

"We’re optimistic this remarkable bird is ready to continue its epic voyage," they said.