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Rescued King Penguin Stabilizing After Rare Río de la Plata Stranding

Specialists cite post‑molt weakness alongside recent southeasterly winds pushing the bird upriver.

Overview

  • Municipal responders in Vicente López rescued the bird on March 11 and transferred it to Fundación Temaikén’s wildlife recovery center.
  • Veterinarians report the penguin is stable, hydrated, and feeding, with checks and lab analyses returning favorable results.
  • The animal is a king penguin, a subantarctic species seldom seen so far north, roughly 2,500 kilometers from its typical range.
  • Fundación Temaikén’s Cristian Gillet says the bird likely finished molting unusually far north and was carried upriver by currents during a recent sudestada.
  • Once fully recovered, the penguin will be released on beaches in southern Buenos Aires, an area within the species’ feeding grounds that offers safe access back to the sea.