DBCA’s Parks and Wildlife Service can confirm the emperor penguin that landed on Ocean Beach, Denmark, on Friday 1 November was successfully released 20 days after being in the care of local wildlife carer Carol Biddulph and her husband Graham.

After passing several veterinary health checks, the emperor penguin was released from a Parks and Wildlife Service vessel off the southern coast of Western Australia on the morning of Wednesday 20 November.

The penguin was released under the guidance of a vet and a Wildlife Officer, with the wildlife carer and her husband also on board the vessel.

Carol reported the bird had gained 3.5kgs in her care and with warmer weather on the horizon, it was time-critical to return it to the ocean where it could thermoregulate itself.

The care, attention and efforts of Carol and Graham Biddulph has given the Antarctic bird, found thousands of kilometres outside of its home range and in a different climate, a fighting chance of survival.

Emperor penguins have been known to cover up to 1,600km on foraging trips that last up to a month.

Members of the public are urged to report any re-sightings of the emperor penguin along the WA coast to the Wildcare Helpline on 9474 9055.