Rare Sighting of King Penguin on Australian Beach
South Australian birdwatchers were astounded to spot a king penguin, typically found in Antarctica, on a local beach. Despite concerns for its well-being, the National Parks and Wildlife Service reassured the public about the penguin’s welfare.
By Beth Snider · February 1, 2024
Birdwatchers in South Australia were astounded as they encountered a king penguin, a species typically found thousands of miles away in Antarctica and sub-Antarctic islands. The rare visitor was spotted by a group from Friends of Shorebirds South East during a bird survey in the Coorong area north of Kingston South East.
"We were up high on the beach. We stopped, and it kept on walking up towards us. Then it did some displays towards us and then did its really strange braying calls, putting its head back and then bowing to us, and then it came really, really close to us. We didn't go towards it; it came towards us."
Campbell speculated that the penguin might have ventured onto the beach to molt, noting, “I wouldn’t be surprised if this bird has never seen a human before. It’s a young bird, likely from a sub-Antarctic island, and has landed here, so [it’s] probably never encountered a human before and didn’t know humans could be dangerous.”
Steve Jenkins, who was fishing in the area, captured videos and photos of the unusual visitor. “It walked down the beach to me while I was fishing and stayed a couple of hours until I left,” he reported.
King penguins, the second-largest penguin species globally, are rarely seen on the mainland, with previous sightings in South Australia documented in 2004 and 1987. The Australian Antarctic Division’s senior research scientist, Dr. Barbara Wienecke, expressed excitement and concern about the sighting. “The bird seems to be in incredibly good condition, so I suspect that he or she is probably going to start molting,” she said. However, she added concern about the penguin being in a warmer environment than usual and the potential risks associated with encounters with unfamiliar creatures, especially dogs.
The South Australia National Parks and Wildlife Service has reassured the public, stating that they are not currently concerned about the welfare of this unexpected visitor.