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Image: Maarten Holl/Fairfax NZ/ The Dominion Post
BY JASMINE BAILEY
A young royal penguin found washed up on
the coast of New Zealand — more than 1,000 miles from his Antarctic home— has died.
The
BBC reports the 1-year-old bird, named Happy Feet Jr., was found on Monday starving and
dehydrated. It’s believed he came from a breeding colony on the sub-Antarctic Macquarie
Island.
Jr. is reportedly only the fourth royal penguin to wash up on the shores
of New Zealand in more than a century. And veterinarians believe it could have been drifting
for more than a year.
After being rescued by hikers, Jr. was taken to Wellington
Zoo to be treated. But the Dominion Post reports he was severely underweight.
A veterinary
science manager at the zoo told the newspaper they did all they could do to help Happy Feet
Jr.
“As the penguin arrived nearly 3kg underweight it had absolutely no reserves,
and subsequently we suspect that this lead to multiple organ failure, following the kidney
failure diagnosed on its arrival.”
He died on Thursday night. No word on how he
might have wandered so far away from home. But what about the original Mr. Happy Feet?
Science
World Report reports— Sr. was an Emperor Penguin that was found washed up on shore
back in 2011. After eight weeks at the zoo, he was nursed back to full health and set
free.
The team attached a tracking device to Sr.— but they reportedly lost
the signal after four days. Researchers believe he may have been eaten by a shark. Man, it’s
hard out there for a penguin.