Post date: Jan 26, 2011 8:13:57 PM
Peruvian authorities rescue a lost penguin and care for the bird in a police station before returning it to the wild.
LIMA, PERU - He's not under arrest, but he's in police custody, nonetheless.
A misguided penguin found his way into a Peruvian police station after losing his way on the shores of Lima, miles from his natural habitat.
Rescue police found the lost Humboldt Penguin on Agua Dulce Beach and have named the bird 'Tomas'.
They'll be taking care of him until he can be safely released back into the wild.Herbert Ramos, Peruvian National Police Rescue Unit, saying
"The penguin was just about stranded, it was separated from its group. It has been taken care of. A veterinarian has examined it and we are looking into the best options for him."
The flightless sea bird took nicely to his new police surroundings, posing for photographs and making friends with local beachgoers.
Veterinarian Carlos Yaipen checked the health of the little explorer, and said Tomas' good temperament meant the bird would easily rejoin his community once he returns home.
Carlos Yaipen, Veterinarian, saying
"This Humboldt Penguin comes from a colony from Palomino Island which is located north of Lima Bay or Costa Verde. Their social behaviour is to move in groups. Now, with the Nino current and a lack of available food, some young individuals could reach the coast and run ashore. When someone comes across one of these penguins, they want to take them home, and in reality they behave in such a way that you could. But it is precisely this type of good behaviour that the animal has that allows it to return to the sea and reunite with its community without any problems."
The penguins are native to the Pacific coasts of Peru and Chile and get their name from the Humboldt current in which they swim as they navigate the rocky coast.
Humboldt penguins are considered an endangered species, with only 10,000 remaining in the wild.
Gemma Haines, Reuters.