Rfalconcam Forum

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – A young Emperor penguin took a rare wrong turn from the Antarctic and ended up stranded on a New Zealand beach — the first time in 44 years the aquatic bird has been sighted in the wild in the South Pacific country.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110621/ap_on_re_as/as_new_zealand_emperor_penguin (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110621/ap_on_re_as/as_new_zealand_emperor_penguin)

Oh my, the poor baby. Maybe he will be there when Jeff goes to Antarctica this Aug. and he can hitch a ride with him.

"I knew I shoulda made a left toin at Albukoykee."

Poor little guy took a wrong turn and is alone in NZ.  Experts say it is too expensive and dangerous to rescue him so he has to find his own way back

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2006067/The-loneliest-penguin-world-Lost-Emperor-swims-beach-New-Zealand-4-000-mile-wrong-turn.html?ito=feeds-newsxml (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2006067/The-loneliest-penguin-world-Lost-Emperor-swims-beach-New-Zealand-4-000-mile-wrong-turn.html?ito=feeds-newsxml)

I asked Jeff if Pengy could hitch a ride back to Antarctica with him in Aug? He departs from NZ.

His reply: "I don't think I could get him through Customs"... and YES, he is going again  !! :)

Yeah, I posted about him a couple of days ago - I worry about him.

He was on FNC last night - cute little guy - disease was one of the reasons cited for leaving him to his own devices.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/06/young-emperor-penguin-makes-a-rare-wrong-turn.php (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/06/young-emperor-penguin-makes-a-rare-wrong-turn.php) Another article. I feel so bad for him.

It won't make it right, but sometimes young Osprey fly East instead of South.  Sometimes they find a boat to land on, but the usually don't.  Their navigation systems go haywire and they head for Europe instead of South America.

I think I'll head for Europe instead of the supermarket... 

:2funny:  You're full of them this morning  ;)

Emperor penguin takes turn for the worse

The condition of an Antarctic emperor penguin which ended up thousands of kilometres from home on a New Zealand beach has deteriorated, with fears it might be sick.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/emperor-penguin-takes-turn-for-the-worse-20110624-1gi17.html (http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/emperor-penguin-takes-turn-for-the-worse-20110624-1gi17.html) I can't believe there is nothing they can do! Just let it die?

The people in NZ put up a fuss and the penguin has been moved to the zoo for treatment.  I hope the little one makes it:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/indepth/2011-06/24/c_13948272.htm (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/indepth/2011-06/24/c_13948272.htm)

Thanks jeanne for the update. Hope she survives! Took them long enough!

I know!  This poor little one has been eating sand!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110624/ap_on_sc/as_new_zealand_emperor_penguin;_ylt=AlkjRb5SSsmOZobDAaY0azas0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFlMDdhYjA0BHBvcwMxMTEEc2VjA2FjY29yZGlvbl9zY2llbmNlBHNsawNzdHJhbmRlZHBlbmc- (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110624/ap_on_sc/as_new_zealand_emperor_penguin;_ylt=AlkjRb5SSsmOZobDAaY0azas0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFlMDdhYjA0BHBvcwMxMTEEc2VjA2FjY29yZGlvbl9zY2llbmNlBHNsawNzdHJhbmRlZHBlbmc-)

Stranded penguin moved to NZ zoo, set for surgery.

Wildlife officials stepped in Friday and moved the ailing young bird to a zoo where surgery was planned to clear its throat of sticks and sand.

GULP!  :pray:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/5193196/Happy-Feet-undergoes-second-surgery (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/5193196/Happy-Feet-undergoes-second-surgery)

They should have taken care of him on Monday when he was found. To just leave him there to eat sand and sticks, makes me mad. A little too late. I sure hope he survives and they find a way to get him back with his others. Next time, be prepared! Now they know, it can happen.  :( Thanks nff for the link!

I couldn't understand it either-obviously he was confused to begin with and then think he could find his way out of this on his own? Glad someone finally intervened giving him some chance of survival.  Poor thing-hope he's going to be OK.  :(

Seems as if it is not the poor penguin who is out of order...

So true Bobbie!!  :stupid:

I agree!  This whole thing could have been avoided if they had just rescued him when he started eating sand and sticks.

A young emperor penguin found washed up on a New Zealand beach has undergone two operations but remains in serious condition, reports say.

The penguin was found last Monday by a dog-walker on Peka Peka beach, about 60km (37 miles) north of Wellington.

It had apparently swum off course some 3,000km from its home in Antarctica.

As its condition deteriorated, the penguin was moved to Wellington zoo where it has undergone operations to remove sand from its stomach.

A businessman has offered to ship the bird - dubbed Happy Feet and of unknown sex - home, but only in February.

Experts were at first reluctant to intervene when the penguin was first discovered in apparently good health. But the bird grew lethargic, prompting the move to Wellington Zoo.
Map

The penguin had been eating sand - apparently mistaking it for snow, which penguins eat for hydration and to keep cool, but which is now causing internal blockages.

It has now undergone two procedures to flush the sand out, and faces another one on Monday after having a rest on Sunday.

It is on an intravenous drip to help it rehydrate.

The bird's plight has attracted worldwide attention.

"There's people all over the world keeping an eye on this guy, and they need to know that we're doing our best," said Lisa Argilla, a vet at Wellington Zoo.

New Zealand businessman Gareth Morgan, who is leading an expedition to Antarctica next February, offered the bird a lift on the expedition website.

"Of course until that time Happy Feet will have to be cared for here in Wellington, where we're lucky enough to have a great community of wildlife experts, capable not just of pumping sand but also ensuring this wayfaring fellow is hosted appropriately until it's time to set sail," he said.

Update posted today:

http://abcnews.go.com/International/lost-penguin-recovering-medical-procedure-flush-system/story?id=13941016 (http://abcnews.go.com/International/lost-penguin-recovering-medical-procedure-flush-system/story?id=13941016)

Happy Feet may have a Happy ending.
 
Penguin Place Post
Ofiicial Blog of Penguin-Place.com

The Penguin Post has learned that New Zealand multimillionaire, philanthropist Gareth Morgan is coming to the rescue of Happy Feet, the stranded and desperately ill Emperor penguin. Morgan said that if Happy Feet survives, he would take it back to Antarctica on a Russian icebreaker. Morgan is leading an expedition to the Ross Sea on the Spirit of Enderby in February, and said Happy Feet and a Conservation Department minder was welcome to come along for the ride.  He also said that Happy Feet was welcome to jump ship at any time if he met other emperor penguins along the way.

http://penguinplacepost.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/happy-feet-penguin-may-have-happy-ending/ (http://penguinplacepost.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/happy-feet-penguin-may-have-happy-ending/) story and pics.

Happy Feet On The Road To Recovery (but not home).
June 28, 2011 by Eric Bennett

The Penguin Post is pleased to report that full recovery for the young emperor penguin — affectionately dubbed Happy Feet — is looking more and more like a distinct possibility, although it may take months.  But, even given the first real optimistic prognosis in days officials are unsure when or how it could return home to the Antarctic, about 2,000 miles away. The penguin was recovering well after the an endoscopy performed by one of New Zealand’s leading surgeons — for human patients. Doctors at the Wellington Zoo guided a camera on a tube through the penguin’s swollen intestines and flushed its stomach to remove the swallowed sand and pieces of driftwood. Penguins eat snow to hydrate themselves during the harsh Antarctic winter. To ensure the health of its newest star, the zoo brought in Wellington Hospital specialist John Wyeth to help with the procedure, New Zealand Press Association reported. Monday’s surgery went well, and doctors removed about half of the remaining sand and several twigs from the bird’s digestive system, zoo spokeswoman Kate Baker said. Medical staff hope the rest of the debris will pass naturally, but an X-ray is scheduled for Wednesday. “It’s positive news, but he’s definitely not out of the woods yet,” Baker said. The penguin is now dining on fish slurry and has been standing and appearing more active than when it arrived, Baker said. The bird was moved to the zoo Friday after its health worsened on the beach. The penguin is being housed in a room at the zoo chilled to about 46 degrees Fahrenheit, Baker said, and has a bed of ice on which it can sleep. Happy Feet (nicknamed by local authorities and the press from the 2006 animated movie), was discovered last week on a North Island beach, the first spotting of an emperor in New Zealand in 44 years. Emperors typically spend their entire lives around Antarctica. After landing on Peka Peka Beach last week, the penguin appeared health at first, but it became dehydraded, suffered heat exhaustion and was eating large amounts of sand.

What’s next for Happy Feet still remains to be decided. Peter Simpson, the program manager of diversity for the Department of Conservation, said he is meeting with penguin experts Wednesday at the zoo to consider options. He said it’s not simply a matter of tossing the penguin back into the ocean off New Zealand’s coast. “There’s no great rush to decide,” Simpson said. “It will most likely need more medical work over the next three months.” Simpson said the penguin will likely remain at the zoo for that time while it recovers. Gareth Morgan, a New Zealand investment adviser, has offered to transport the penguin back to Antarctica next February when he leads an expedition to the southern continent. But Simpson said that, while officials appreciate the offer, they may want to act before then. Simpson said the penguin may be older than experts first thought — perhaps up to 2 1/2 years old rather than the initial estimate of 10 months. It stands about 3 feet (80 centimeters) high. Experts still don’t know if it’s a male or female, Simpson said, although DNA samples should soon provide an answer.

Happy Feet up and about in its new enclosure as it recovers.

Happy Feet is very cute. Thanks for the update Donna!  :thumbsup:

Happy Feet - what a cutie.  I hope he/she continues to recuperate and somehow is transported to home.
Their life is hard enough.

Happy Feet was an  adorable film., and I own it, but for the true story, view March of the Penguins  it is truly inspiring.

Speaking of films about our favorite species -- Paulie
  a fun film about my favorite bird - the conure.    Yes, they really do dance like that.

And a great book and documentary - The Parrots of telegraph Hill   I own the book and film, again about my favorite parrot - the conure -  and it's great.

Lost penguin Happy Feet told to swim home

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/travel/news/lost-penguin-happy-feet-told-to-swim-home/story-e6frg8ro-1226084251744 (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/travel/news/lost-penguin-happy-feet-told-to-swim-home/story-e6frg8ro-1226084251744)

Archive for July, 2011
More Procedures For Happy Feet As He Mends
July 1, 2011

The Penguin Post has just learned that the emperor penguin dubbed Happy Feet is scheduled to have another operation tomorrow. Wellington Zoo spokeswoman Kate Baker said the penguin was in a “stable” condition and it was hoped that another stomach flushing procedure at 11am tomorrow would remove more sand and debris from its stomach in helping the penguin recover. After the surgery the zoo hoped to x-ray the bird to see if further surgery was needed, Baker said.

RELEASING HAPPY FEET

The specially formed Penguin Advisory Committee has decided the best option would be to release the penguin in the sub-Antarctic waters of the Southern Ocean. However, the Zoo’s veterinary science manager Lisa Argilla warned that even doing this would have its risks and Happy Feet would need to be taken some distance from land. “We don’t want to have visibility of the land mass. He’s a bit of a sand eater.” Although it was difficult to estimate how long it would take before Happy Feet was well enough to be released, Argilla said it was likely he would remain at Wellington Zoo for a month. The zoo would need to ensure it could keep up the supply of party ice, and might need to get a larger air conditioning unit. Recent cold weather meant it was easier to keep his small room cooler. A webcam linked up to the dark room where the penguin is being kept showed him moving around a little and standing up on the ice. Happy Feet is not on general display at the zoo.

 :penguin:  I feel so bad for what this poor penguin has gone through. They should put a transmitter on him so we know if he made back home.  :heart:

On ABC World News a couple days ago, they said a tracking device was going to be placed on the Penguin!  :2thumbsup:

Excellent!  :thumbsup:

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — It's a boy.
Results of DNA tests are back for the emperor penguin nicknamed "Happy Feet," whose plight has been followed around the world since he was found stranded on a New Zealand beach two weeks ago.
Wellington Zoo spokeswoman Kate Baker says scientists determined the penguin's sex after scraping cells from his feathers.
Male and female emperor penguins outwardly appear identical.
Baker said Tuesday the penguin is recovering nicely after four medical procedures to flush sand and debris from his stomach. Happy Feet is now eating more than 4 pounds (2 kilograms) of salmon each day.
Emperor penguins typically live their entire lives in and around Antarctica, making Happy Feet's discovery in New Zealand so unusual.

Thanks for the update, Dale.  Glad this little guy is chowing down on some good fish, now that his belly is feeling better.   :spaghetti:   :thumbsup:

Nice, thanks. Too bad he has to go it alone!  :(

Happy Feet Back to Eating Fish
July 6, 2011 by Eric Bennett

The Penguin Post has learned that recent celebrity penguin Happy Feet has ditched his demanding sand and twig diet in favor of Marlborough cuisine. That’s because New Zealand King Salmon has donated about 250 lbs of salmon smolt (juvenile fish) to Wellington Zoo to help restore the young Antarctic visitor to health. Happy Feet is eating up to 5 lbs of the fish a day. New Zealand King Salmon marketing manager Stephen Gibson said the company supplied Wellington Zoo with the salmon smolt when it was available and had doubled the contribution for the Antarctic interloper.  The wayward emperor penguin sparked international interest when he arrived at Peka Peka Beach, over 2000 miles from Antarctica, three weeks ago.  Unfortunately he mistakenly ate sand, mistaking it for ice, to cool down as well as twigs and rocks.  He has since had surgery at Wellington Zoo to remove the sand.  The penguin was back on the table on Saturday for his fourth procedure to flush more sand from his stomach. Veterinary science manager Lisa Argilla said undergoing general anaesthetics was unlikely to be tiring or stressful for Happy Feet, but he did need a rest between procedures. A specially formed Penguin Advisory Committee has decided the best option would be to release him in the sub-Antarctic waters of the Southern Ocean. However, Dr Argilla warned that even doing this would have its risks and Happy Feet would need to be taken some distance from land. “He’s a bit of a sand eater.” It was likely he would remain at the zoo for a month.

Tracking Happy Feet Home
July 7, 2011 by Eric Bennett

Happy Feet the wayward emperor penguin will take a piece of New Zealand with him when he travels home to Antarctica, and we’re not talking New Zealand beach sand or twigs.  The Penguin Post has learned that a New Zealand firm is producing and donating the tracking device that will record the penguin’s journey when he’s released.  Since Happy Feet went ill after swimming up onto a beach on New Zealand’s Kapiti Coast and began mistaking sand for a snow snack last month he’s been in the care for of the Wellington Zoo.   Sirtrack CEO Mike Kelly said the company offered to make a tracking device for the penguin because it was an unusual case and a way to help. “It’s really interesting. It’s not often you get to track an emperor penguin off our coast,” Mr Kelly said. “It’s a good way to demonstrate how our units work.” The company had previously made a tracker for Tarly the loggerhead turtle, which was found injured in Northland, NZ.  The turtle made it all the way to Chile before the tracker stopped working.

The device is not meant to be permanent, as it will fall off when Happy Feet moulted. “It’s taken several years to develop this type tracker and it’s now deployed all around the world,” Mr Kelly said. The company had offices in the US and distributors in Africa. They regularly worked with more than 70 countries supplying wildlife tracking devices for every kind of animal, from birds and reptiles to lions, tigers and bears. A wildlife expert would attach the device to the penguin, with guidance from Sirtrack, when Happy Feet is finally well enough to make the trip south, Mr Kelly said.  “Happy Feet has to meet all his health checks and that decision will rest with the experts at Wellington Zoo.”

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10737634 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10737634) More on Happy feet, story and some videos!

Feistier Happy Feet to move to saltwater pool

Good Boy!!!

 ;D

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uF4TnMFlkKQ/ThbIKG1S7wI/AAAAAAAAAR8/6isAd4xEB0Y/s400/Penguin+Lust+2.jpg)

He may not be frolicking in the icy wilderness of the Antarctic, but at least he's tucking into some good quality salmon.

Happy Feet, the lost emperor penguin who turned up alone on a New Zealand beach almost a month ago, has been packing on the pounds since he was brought to Wellington Zoo amid fears he would die from eating sand.

The young bird has been feasting on up to two kilograms of high-grade salmon each day - funded through donations from the public and Wellington businessman Gareth Morgan, who chipped in with more than $NZ5000 ($3900).

Paddling penguin

Happy Feet, the bewildered Emperor penguin who took a 2,000-mile wrong turn and ended up in New Zealand last month, is a boy. Didn't you just know it?

Wellington Zoo officials say DNA tests confirmed the suspicions.

Officials still haven't figured out how they're going to transport him back to the ocean near the Antarctic. In the meantime, he's getting fat and sassy at the zoo.

Now that his belly has been cleared of the sand and sticks he ate on the beach, he's feasting on more than 4 pounds of salmon every day, thanks to public donations.

Happy Feet has gained 6 pounds since he was rescued. And he's getting feisty.

"When the vet grabs him for medication ... he's fighting a lot more. He's really looking good," said zoo spokeswoman Kate Baker.

 :penguin: goodnews: :thumbsup:

Little guy!!

Happy Feet set for ocean journey soon

Happy Feet may be leaving New Zealand shores as early as next month.

The emperor penguin has been cared for at the Wellington Zoo since it was found on Peka Peka Beach last month.

Zoo spokeswoman Kate Baker told the Herald last night that Happy Feet could be returned to the Southern Ocean as early as next month.

"It's looking like it will be about mid to late August. Right now we're just figuring out how we will release him," she said.

Ms Baker said the penguin was doing better and better each day and had gained 1.6kg when he was weighed on Friday.

He is about 24kg now, she said.

"At this stage, we're still taking care of him, obviously. He's continuing to gain weight and is looking good."

More than 600 broad-billed prion birds are being cared for at the zoo.

The injured birds are among hundreds found on the country's beaches after a massive storm last week.

Therefore Happy Feet was no longer the only bird in the spotlight, Ms Baker said.

"He's still a favourite with staff, though."

The zoo is still receiving donations from the public for the Happy Feet appeal.

 :mbanana: Rock on Happy Feet!   :bguitar:

Happy Feet is a…Boy!
July 21, 2011 by Eric Bennett

The Penguin Post is ready to break the news the world has been waiting for.  Happy Feet, everyone’s favorite bewildered, sand and stick eating, intrepid Emperor penguin, who took a 2,000-mile wrong turn and ended up in New Zealand last month…is a boy.   But, didn’t you just know it?   Really, even after being obviously lost for a couple of weeks and thousands of miles only a dude (person or penguin) wouldn’t ask for directions and just keep going and going and going.  So, yesterday when a Wellington Zoo official revealed that DNA tests confirmed the our suspicions, we were more relieved than surprised.

Officials still haven’t figured out how or when they’re going to transport him back to the ocean near the Antarctic. In the meantime, he’s getting fat and feisty at the zoo. Now that his belly has been cleared of all the sand and sticks he ate on the beach, he’s feasting on more than 4 pounds of salmon every day, thanks to public donations.  Happy Feet has gained 6 pounds since he was rescued. And he’s getting feisty. “When the vet grabs him for medication … he’s fighting a lot more.  He’s really looking good,” said zoo spokeswoman Kate Baker.

Happy Feet goes for his first swim since capture.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5338724/Weather-perfect-for-Happy-Feet (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5338724/Weather-perfect-for-Happy-Feet) Video

I saw that.  Even our 13 WHAM here did a piece on the 11  O'clock news on Happy Feet on Monday night!
It was nice to see him swimming and looking good!

Very good to see Happy Feet Swimming!  :clap:

I too saw the report on Happy Feet. He swims like a champ!  :penguin:

Happy Feet is getting better!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14337401 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14337401)

Still worried about him going back. Hope he makes it OK. Thanks Bobbie

Happy Feet rated priceless publicity despite costs

At least   $30,000 has been spent saving Happy Feet the penguin at a time when conservation budgets for safeguarding other wildlife are being slashed.

But the bird has provided priceless publicity for wildlife in general, says Forest and Bird.

Happy Feet, an emperor penguin from Antarctica, was found on a Kapiti Coast beach north of Wellington in June and, according to figures obtained through the Official Information Act, Wellington Zoo estimates it has cost in excess of $30,000 for numerous operations to remove sticks and sand from his stomach, as well as rehabilitating him for a return to the wild.

The Department of Conservation (DoC) has not released how much it spent on looking after the penguin while it was on the beach and then transported to Wellington.

The department is planning to return him to the sea in August from a boat off the Bluff coast.

Forest and Bird advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell said $30,0000 may seem like a lot of money when seen against the backdrop of DoC redundancies. The department announced in June it would be cutting 100 jobs across the organisation.

"The Department of Conservation has had its budget slashed by the government and it's laying off staff so having to spend significant sums of money looking after this one bird compared to other birds, and other things – you can ask those questions."

He said Wellington Zoo and DoC were "damned if they do and damned if they don't. They certainly would have been criticised if they hadn't helped."

Hackwell said while $30,000 was a lot to spend on the care of a wayward bird, the publicity around Happy Feet had heightened publicity around birds and wildlife in New Zealand in general.

"I wouldn't begrudge Happy Feet his $30,000 because it has created an opportunity to talk.

"It might make people think about the wildlife that's around us all the time rather than what turns up once a century."

Happy Feet is the first known emperor penguin to swim the more than 3000km to New Zealand from Antarctica in 44 years.

"It's a neat animal and it is pretty exciting that it turned up here and people were able to do something about it. People get really excited about a bird way out of place and naturally they are sympathetic and want to do something to help," Hackwell said.

For Wellington Zoo, any cost will likely be offset by the crowds the penguin has been pulling in. Visitor numbers have increased by about 50% compared to the same time last year.

There ya go - it's an ill wind, huh?

Get wildlife associated with profit, and off we go!

Not to mention that if they had rescued this poor baby before he ate all that sand and those twigs, it wouldn't have cost this much

This is very true jeanne, they let it go way too long.

Exactly Jeanne!  :wave:

is there a Happy Feet fund?  I'd like to contribute

front page of wellington zoo's site gives info -  http://www.wellingtonzoo.com/ (http://www.wellingtonzoo.com/)
or go straight to the zoo's contribution page and select "happy feet appeal" as the target of your contribution
https://app.etapestry.com/bbphosted/WellingtonZoo/OnlineDonation.html (https://app.etapestry.com/bbphosted/WellingtonZoo/OnlineDonation.html)

In terms of advertising budgets, 30K isn't that much.  Everyone involved really was damned if they did and damned if they didn't.  The non-intervention people would have been furious if help had been given to Happy Feet up front and now the intervention people aren't happy because intervention wasn't given instantly and now the 30K cost!  In terms of awareness and free good-faith attention, Happy Feet's plight has been priceless - people ask me about Happy Feet.

Isn't awareness what the ultimate goal is?

 ??? :confused: :suspicious:  Or is it??

It is Janet but there's always that bottom line! Money makes the world go 'round!!!  :2cents:

Like is or not, it costs money to get the word out.

http://www.3news.co.nz/Video/3NewsLiveStream/HappyFeetlivestream.aspx (http://www.3news.co.nz/Video/3NewsLiveStream/HappyFeetlivestream.aspx) Happy Feets webcam

Happy Feet is now a creature of the Internet age.

The wayward emperor penguin, discovered on a New Zealand beach six weeks ago, will soon be returned to the wild — but not before he picked up an online following of more than 120,000.

That's how many unique visitors have logged onto a Web camera monitoring his every move. Thousands more are expected to follow the updates after he's released in coming weeks, with feeds from a GPS tracker attached to his back posted online.

And then there's the chatter on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

His followers don't seem bothered that Happy Feet, nicknamed after the 2006 animated movie, does little more than eat, sleep and occasionally waddle.

"At 11:20 p.m. in New Zealand, Happy Feet was sound asleep with his left foot and flipper sticking out," one Facebook fan wrote. "Five minutes later, he pulled in his left foot and flipper and just got up! :)"

The penguin was found June 20 on Peka Peka Beach, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) northwest of Wellington and far from his Antarctic feeding grounds. He was moved four days later to the Wellington Zoo after becoming ill from eating sand, which he likely mistook for snow.

He has since gained weight and been given a clean bill of health to return to the ocean.

His unusual journey captured worldwide interest, with local TV3 station setting up a webcam on June 30 in his small, ice-filled room at the zoo.

The phone calls began coming in soon after, even prompting the zoo one night to send a veterinarian to check on the penguin after the station was swamped by worried callers convinced Happy Feet had died, zoo spokeswoman Kate Baker said. It turned out the penguin was sleeping.

One woman wrote an email to TV3 saying she was ill but taking "a lot of comfort in simply watching the penguin."

"It's kind of like O. Henry's story 'The Leaf,'" wrote the woman, identified as Janet in Chicago. "I feel as long as the penguin does well, I'll do well."

The station's Wellington bureau chief, Gordon McBride, said he and a colleague came up with the webcam idea and the zoo agreed.

"It's such an unusual thing, and people like to see that," McBride said.

After the "great response" to the penguin's webcam, the zoo is now considering live streaming other animals and the zoo's medical procedures, Baker said.

The zoo raised the $10,000 through a public campaign to cover the costs of housing Happy Feet, Baker said. It has also raised about $8,000 so far for returning him to the sub-Antarctic ocean south of New Zealand — a trip that could cost up to $30,000.

The GPS tracker unit will likely come off when Happy Feet molts in April, if not sooner, though the penguin has also been fitted with a microchip that will be triggered if he roams near monitored colonies in Antarctica, she said.

Rich said that Happy Feet needs a tracker to keep him away from sticks and stones  ;)

http://www.3news.co.nz/Happy-Feet-has-a-fishy-appetite/tabid/1216/articleID/216841/Default.aspx (http://www.3news.co.nz/Happy-Feet-has-a-fishy-appetite/tabid/1216/articleID/216841/Default.aspx)  Speaking of him

'Perky' Happy Feet set to swim home

Happy Feet is to head home at the end of the month, ending a two-month stay at Wellington Zoo.

Zoo spokeswoman Kate Baker said the emperor penguin was doing well and had even managed a few quick dips.

"He's very perky. We opened the slide up to the saltwater pool [on Sunday] because it's snowing in Wellington. He had a swim [on Sunday] night briefly."

She said staff coaxed Happy Feet into a second swim yesterday morning, which showed he was making excellent progress.

"Because he's swimming it shows that he's got good waterproofing."

Happy Feet now weighs 26.6kg, having put on 4kg since his arrival.

He has spent the past seven weeks in the care of Wellington Zoo since washing up on Peka Peka beach, north of Wellington, in June.

He has had many procedures performed to flush sand, rocks and liquid out of his stomach.

The zoo will today announce how Happy Feet will make the more than 3000km journey back to the Antarctic.

"It will be really rewarding to see him being released back into the wild," Ms Baker said.

An "army" of zoo staff ranging from the vet team to property staff had been working with Happy Feet, she said.

He is expected to leave at the end of the month.

Travel options previously floated have included a combination of refrigerated truck, boat and air travel, ending with his release at a point beyond Stewart Island.

The famous penguin is the second known to have landed here. The other landing was in 1967 when an emperor penguin was found on Southland's Oreti Beach.

 :D  One of the "Happy" stories!!!  :thumbsup:

Happy Feet is heading home soon...

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/n-z-lost-penguin-hitch-home-research-ship-050322816.html (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/n-z-lost-penguin-hitch-home-research-ship-050322816.html)

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5493134/Penguin-prepares-for-departure (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5493134/Penguin-prepares-for-departure) Happy Feet prepares for departure. :(

  :penguinspin: I'm "Happy" for him cuz he'll be back where he belongs. He has to be lonely in his enclosure. Soon he'll be free!  :penguin:

Good luck, Little Guy!!! Bundle up and stay toasty!!

Happy Feet chillin! Literally!

He is adorable!

I wish for HF a safe journey!   :penguinspin:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14702100 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14702100) Be well Happy Feet, find your friends.  :crying:

 :2thumbsup: Freedom is a beautiful thing!  ;D

Be safe, little guy!!!!   :wub: :wub: :wub:

 :devil:  Can't help myself.....

Ask for directions, next time  ;D

http://blogs.discovery.com/animal_news/# (http://blogs.discovery.com/animal_news/#) Navigationally Challenged Penguin Returns to Sea   :wave:

Track Happy Feet:

http://www.ourfarsouth.org/Track-Happy-Feet.aspx (http://www.ourfarsouth.org/Track-Happy-Feet.aspx)

http://www.nzemperor.com/ (http://www.nzemperor.com/)

I just pray that he is strong enough to swim that far after such a long time in captivity!  :heart:

Thanks!!  :notworthy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c57ySL07_M#ws (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c57ySL07_M#ws) He has his own song!!  :heart:

  :mbanana:;D :clap: :bguitar:

Thanks Donna ,

Great video. :penguinspin:

greetings Carla

We were watching Happy Feet in his chiller en-route to Antartica last night on FNC.  There he was - flopped on his ice happy as could be  :thumbsup:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT3tsylDc2s#ws (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT3tsylDc2s#ws)Safe travels Happy Feet

Oooooo, Good Luck, Happy Feet!!

Occasionally, there is a TV series broadcast on TV here re the work of Wellington Zoo. I have always been pleased to happen upon it, as they seem to have such a wonderful empathy with all their charges. So, if any group is going to do its best for Happy Feet, they're the ones.

Looking forward to seeing updates - with a mixture of hope and trepidation, tho.

 :clap: Be safe little guy and remember to backstroke if ya get tired!!!  :heart:

Happy Feet nearly 'home'

The wayward emperor penguin Happy Feet is nearing the Southern Ocean spot where he'll be released for his trip back to Antarctica.

NIWA research ship the Tangaroa is just 120 nautical miles from the area where they will put the bird back in the water, but it's battling 50 knot winds and seven-metre swells.

Spokesman Rob Murdoch says Happy Feet will have to stay in his specially designed container a wee while longer.

Despite the rough conditions in the Southern Ocean, Happy Feet is said to be travelling well.

RadioLIVE



Happy Feet release may be delayed by storm  Follow up story

Stormy seas could mean Happy Feet will not be released into the ocean until Saturday.

Wellington Zoo vet Lisa Argilla said plans to release the emperor penguin tomorrow [Friday] may have to be delayed because of sea conditions.

She is travelling with Happy Feet on board the Tangaroa to his release location, a latitude of about 51 degrees, near the Sub Antarctic Islands.

They left Wellington on Monday and are today making slow progress off the South Island's east coast.

Track Happy Feet's progress on our map here

To track the Tangaroa go to www.sailwx.info (http://www.sailwx.info) and type  'Tangaroa' into the search box.

Dr Argilla said despite the rough conditions, Happy Feet was faring well.

"You wouldn't even know that the sea was rough, he's just standing in his crate, rocking backwards and forwards with the swells. He looks great."

Dr Argilla said in her blog from the vessel that the release date could still change, depending on how much progress they were able to make.

"Because of this storm we're trekking through we're going a bit slower so hoping that Saturday morning will be release day and not Friday."

The team onboard the Tangaroa had carried out a kind of trial release which had gone well.

They are planning to release Happy Feet into the ocean using a special slide on the ramp at the back of the boat.

"Everything is looking good, so fingers crossed his release will go without a hitch.

Slide which Happy Feet will be released into the Ocean.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=204465466676872181120.0004ab34c32ad17b41db4&ie=UTF8&t=h&vpsrc=6&ll=-49.482401,169.562988&spn=5.710959,13.513184&z=6&source=embed (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=204465466676872181120.0004ab34c32ad17b41db4&ie=UTF8&t=h&vpsrc=6&ll=-49.482401,169.562988&spn=5.710959,13.513184&z=6&source=embed) Map of route.

Sunday 04 September 11am

Woohoo! Happy Feet is free!!!

He needed some gentle encouragement to leave the safety of his crate that has been his home for 6 days. He slid down his specially designed penguin slide backwards but once he hit the water he spared no time in diving off away from the boat and all those "aliens" who have been looking after him for so long ;-). What a story he is going to have to tell his mates when he catches up with them.

He was released at 10:28am, a bit earlier then scheduled, and we were only 49miles away from Campbell Island. The crew were all present to see the celebrity depart and there was lots of excitement because it went so smoothly. They were all amazing, designing and setting up the slide to go over the ramp at the back of the boat. It's an indescribable feeling to see a patient finally set free! Definitely the best part of the job!

Good luck Mr HF, keep safe, swim home SOUTH please, find some mates, and please stay away from those orcas and leopard seals!!

Lisa

Good luck Happy Feet, get to Antarctica quick!

Be safe, little one and swim free!

http://www.3news.co.nz/Happy-Feets-first-night-on-NIWAs-ship---Extended-footage/tabid/309/articleID/224055/Default.aspx (http://www.3news.co.nz/Happy-Feets-first-night-on-NIWAs-ship---Extended-footage/tabid/309/articleID/224055/Default.aspx) Happy Feet's departure.


http://www.3news.co.nz/Haere-Ra-Happy-Feet/tabid/1216/articleID/224503/Default.aspx (http://www.3news.co.nz/Haere-Ra-Happy-Feet/tabid/1216/articleID/224503/Default.aspx) Took some coaxing but.... :(   Video of Happy Feet's release.

Thank you for the links of his release, he sure didn't look like he wanted to go.  I hope he's not been imprinted.  Good luck little buddy, hope you find your way home safely.

Two of our three adopted dogs were "released" like this on our dirt road.  We usually refer to the practice as "dumping". 

So sad for them. Oh do you consider this dumping! I wish they could have taken him further, the seas were rough. I'm not sure of this whole idea but I guess they had to do what they had to. Just hope he survives to tell his tale.

Good for them, really, because now they live on Easy Street.

Dumping was the first thing that came to mind when I saw him splash into the sea.  I'm sure the releasers know more than I'll ever care to know about penguins, but 49 miles just seems a long way for him to navigate when he's already proven he doesn't know north from south.  Maybe southern hemisphere miles are shorter?

Totally understand, I just wish they didn't give him that push. Mixed feelings on this whole thing from the beginning. Instead of just letting him lay there for days eating sand and sticks, knowing a rescue was inevitable, they should have rescued him at first sighting. I certainly do know what "dumping" is NFF, we have lots of it here also. Glad you took 2 of the dogs in!

 :( Happy Feet clearly didn't want to go. I hope he makes out alright.  :heart:

 :clap:
I LOVE happy endings!  I hope Happy Feet  keeps swimming south.  Bless all that helped him!

The transmitter has successfully sent several signals since the bird was released, and showed that he has moved slightly east then south since release. Of course there is no guarantee that he will continue to swim south (he swam north last time he was in the sea!). It may take a few days for him to get his bearings and start moving in a definite direction.

A snipet from the blog! Where ever he ends up, people will know him!

Here's the map of how far Happy Feet has traveled since being released. The red is the release point. I don't know how to read this, maybe Paul can help. Not sure the miles he's gone.

Today's map! Not sure where he is going. Where will he rest? Well he traveled 3000 miles to get to NZ, I'm sure this is a shorter route. They have a contest for the kids schools to guess where HF will be on day 50?? That is a long time to get to Antarctica! Poor guy! Wish he could have gone with Jeff on the Plane! :(

This shows him going in the right general direction. By the scale of miles and my rough measurements, he's gone about 60 miles as the penguin swims, but only about 40 miles as the crow flies.

http://www.afn.org/~afn02552/happyfeet/track_happy_feet_090611_1054.jpg (http://www.afn.org/~afn02552/happyfeet/track_happy_feet_090611_1054.jpg)

http://www.ourfarsouth.org/Track-Happy-Feet.aspx (http://www.ourfarsouth.org/Track-Happy-Feet.aspx)

OK, wow, he's in no hurry! Thanks

From: http://www.ourfarsouth.org/Track-Happy-Feet.aspx (http://www.ourfarsouth.org/Track-Happy-Feet.aspx)                                                                 

Happy Feet's progress

7 September 2011

Our bird has made a gain of 22 kms further toward home over the last 24 hours, a good performance pushing pretty much southward. More pertinently he’s also put an additional 6kms between him and the sandy beaches of Campbell island overnight. He seems to be swimming between 2-3 kph today, a bit slower than yesterday – this includes an hour when he seemed to get distracted and put on no distance at all. Wonder what’s caught his interest?

Maybe some more penguins?

Looks like he's hit a westerly current and is going with the flow.

Our Far South
The drifter buoys near Campbell Island move east-northeast an avg of 10.5km/day. Therefore if Happy Feet had not been swimming, he would now be about 42km E-NE of his release point.

It is four days since the world’s most famous penguin escaped down the stern ramp of the Tangaroa. After two months of intense scrutiny, you might think that he was slipping into the obscurity of being a speck in the great southern ocean, and the anonymity of being one of over 300,000 emperor penguins on the planet. No such luck! Thanks to the Sirtrack KiwiSat 202 satellite transmitter glued to his back, his every move is watched by millions of adoring spheniscophiles around the world. But that is hyperbole; the duty cycle of the transmitter has it turned on for only 7 hours per day. This means that for 17 hours a day he can swim wherever he likes without anyone telling him that he is swimming in the wrong direction (as long as he ends up further south when the transmitter turns on again).
What does his track tell us after 96 hours? Overall, he has travelled about 100 km in a south-easterly direction, travelling at a rate of about 1.2 km per hour (29.3 km per day). But where would he have ended up if he had floated passively on the surface, allowing currents to carry him like inanimate flotsam? We have the answer to that due to the known movements of 30 Global Drifter Program buoys that have passed near Campbell Island (data from NIWA).

Campbell Island sits in the path of the mightiest oceanic current on the planet, far more massive than the Amazon River. Driven by strong westerly winds, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current south of New Zealand flows eastward at a rate of nearly 150 million cubic metres per second. This is about 150 times the water flow of all the world’s rivers combined.
On average, the drifter buoys near Campbell Island moved in an east-northeast direction at an average rate of 10.5 km per day. This means that if the penguin had not been actively swimming, he would now be about 42 km east-northeast of his release point. If passive movement due to the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is allowed for, the distance that the emperor penguin has travelled by active swimming is approximately 91 km in a south-southeast direction at a rate of 1.1 km per hour (26.9 km per day).

If he keeps on this track and speed, he will reach the pack ice off Marie Byrd Land (between the Ross Sea and the Amundsen Sea) about the end of November. Will he find other emperor penguins there? Yes – as the attached map shows, there are two known and two probable emperor penguin colonies along this remote stretch of the Antarctic coast. The probable colonies have never been visited by humans; they were discovered by satellite imagery detecting fecal staining on the fast-ice, known to be characteristic of emperor penguin colonies.
This strong easterly drift also raises the question of where the peripatetic Peka Peka penguin came from. If he travelled as far east as he did north on his way to New Zealand, then it is likely that he came from one of the colonies in the Australian Antarctic sector, rather than from one of the cluster of colonies on the western side of the Ross Sea.

From: http://www.ourfarsouth.org/Track-Happy-Feet.aspx (http://www.ourfarsouth.org/Track-Happy-Feet.aspx)

Happy Feet's progress

8 September 2011

End of Day 4 and the bird is a further 8 kms closer to the Ross Sea. He’s headed more east today than previous days when he’s been heading southeast. He’s also not covered so many kms, suggesting he’s been spending more time just sitting in the tide. Maybe it’s time for a feed or he’s chasing the ladies.

Our Far South
End of Day 5 and for the 2nd day HF has traveled due east with no southerly progress. Wind and tide appear to be in the ascendancy. We've been told there are plenty of fish around, so perhaps chasing a meal.   (http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt1/112459/Pingu%20gifs/Risa-1.gif)

9 September 2011

That's one CRAZY penguin!! LOL He's all over the place.

That's probably why he got lost in the first place!!!!!

Probably Lynne!   :stupid:

From: http://www.ourfarsouth.org/Track-Happy-Feet.aspx (http://www.ourfarsouth.org/Track-Happy-Feet.aspx)

Update 11 Sep 11 - Why are there no new Happy Feet updates since 2011-09-08 20:11?  The satellite that tracks Happy Feet is currently not working due to a spate of Solar Flares over the last 4 days. We will keep you updated with any changes.

Our Far South
The transmitter has appeared to stop transmitting. This could be due to a number of reasons, but it may not be due to interference from the solar flares as previously speculated. There are a number of reasons this may have happened - transmitter falling off, transmitter damage, technical failure etc. Our view is the most likely scenario is the transmitter has fallen off. After all it was only glued on and would have had to survive extreme conditions.

Our Far South
It will be at least a couple of days before we know for sure that the transmitter is no longer working. Hopefully we'll be pleasantly surprised. But if we don't get further readings then we'll have to hope for the best and be thankful that we've had such a wonderful cause to raise peoples' awareness of the Far South.

It is unlikely that we will ever know what caused the transmissions to cease, but it is time to harden up to the reality that the penguin has returned to the anonymity from which he emerged on 20 June. The Sirtrack team will keep trying to recover a signal, and we will post an update if they succeed. And maybe, just maybe, he will surprise us all by turning up at a monitored emperor penguin colony, where the transponder inserted under the skin on his thigh will remind us all that once upon a time, a long time ago, he was more than just another penguin.

(This is not good), we'll probably never know what happened to Happy Feet.  :crying:

Should have used nail polish!

Then we could have followed him for years!

Exactly, apparently glue didn't help.

 :(  Another one we'll have to wonder about forever. Be safe Happy Feet!!  :heart:

Happy Feet, the emperor penguin who became an international celebrity after losing his way and ending up in New Zealand, is missing presumed eaten after being released into the ocean this month, scientists said.

Concerns were raised over Happy Feet's fate when the tracker device attached to his body stopped sending signals on his trip home to Antarctica.

Kevin Lay, of Sirtrack, the specialist firm that fitted the tracker, said no signal had been received since Friday, when the penguin was about halfway home. He said it was possible Happy Feet had been eaten, but he remained hopeful.

"There are some species that will forage on emperor penguins. It's not likely that it has happened to Happy Feet because of the area he was in."

Lay said the tracker was meant to transmit a signal every time it broke the surface of the water, and had been working perfectly. It was intended to remain attached for months and be shed in the new year moult, but may have fallen off.

Sharks, seals and killer whales are among the creatures known to eat penguins.

The three-and-a-half-year-old Happy Feet was found emaciated and exhausted on a beach near Wellington in mid-June, only the second emperor ever recorded in New Zealand.

He was nursed back to health at Wellington zoo, undergoing surgery to remove several kilos of sand he had swallowed having apparently mistaken it for snow. The zoo's visitor numbers doubled as people tried to catch one of his rare public appearances.

Colin Miskelly, a wildlife expert who advised on the penguin's treatment, said the truth about his fate would probably never be known. "It is unlikely that we will ever know what caused the transmissions to cease, but it is time to harden up to the reality that the penguin has returned to the anonymity from which he emerged," he told AFP.

There are plans for a book and documentary of Happy Feet's story, but the ending may remain a mystery.

The tracker firm posted what may well be the last news of Happy Feet: "Finally, as we expect many people are, the team at Sirtrack are disappointed that we are unable to track Happy Feet's progress any further. We have enjoyed being part of this project and hope that Happy Feet is making his way home."


Happy Feet may have been eaten. I feared this as he was probably the lone penguin out in that big ocean. A target for many.

I'll just believe he's out there swimming, eating and enjoying his freedom! In reality, I felt sick when I read this. :crying:

Had we known they were going to use some old rubbish glue, we could have had a "whip-around" and sent them a decent supply of whatever Quest has...

PLUS - what possessed them to release him so far from his own kind??

Simple nail polish!! Then again, Quest is not water-bound, so who knows. Couldn't they have used a "just under the skin tracker like they do sharks, whales and other mammals? Wasn't very well thought out. I'm sure they could have taken him further or all the way but it would have cost dearly. They couldn't fly him out because of disease reasons, customs, yada yada but if he was in a container on a boat why couldn't he be in a container on Jeff's plane to Antarctica? It's just sad no matter!

Only thought of the water angle later, but yeah... a tad more planning, methinks. Guess that Nature does what she does, huh?

Guess we will never know.

Was HF banded?

I don't know if they band them.  He does have a microchip like they use in pets. 

Thanks, Ei. Sweet little fella - guess he had some good lovin' at one stage.

 :(  They should have just put him in a zoo or something. I didn't like this from the start. First they let him sit on that beach and eat all that sand and crap. Then rehab him, as far as I'm concerned a waste of time because they just dropped him in the sea all alone to fend for himself against all odds! Sheesh, poor planning is putting it mildly!!!  :thumbsdown:   :2cents:

Yup.

I agree, poor little guy. :(

Good intentions, bad results.  I had an ominous feeling about this when they dumped him so far from from home.  Probably best not to know the final outcome.

I agree, MAK.  They just did not handle this right from the beginning.  Poor little guy.

I hate to point this out, but the one article about his release detailed that immature penquins spend most of their time "at sea" AND HF was released where he was to steralize him from all the stuff he picked up in NZ - salt water will do that.  Don't bother to blast me, please?

:ditto:
I was hoping, but it was not to be.  Swim free, Happy Feet! Poor Penguin.

I choose to believe he is out there swimming towards his home, minus the transmitter he has slipped out of.  Be happy and free HP!   :happy:

Good news, penguin lovers: Happy Feet is, more than likely, alive.

The emperor penguin which washed up on Peka Peka Beach, north of Wellington, about two months ago was released into the Southern Ocean on September 2 with a transmitter glued to his back to track his movements.

Transmission stopped a week ago and it was feared he could have become part of the food chain.

However, a penguin expert from Massey University believes it is more likely the transmitter simply fell off.

"Of the natural predators, leopard seals would be far further south, around the Antarctic continent, at this time," said Associate Professor John Cockrem, from the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences.

"I also think the chances of meeting an orca are pretty small.

"It is most likely the transmitter has fallen off."

Happy Feet - named for the 2006 film - would slowly make his way back to Antarctica but no one could guess his course or when he would arrive, Prof Cockrem said.

"It is highly likely Happy Feet is still alive."

I'm happy with this  Guess we can wish him well again!!

NZHerald

 :penguin:                   :penguin:
 :penguinspin:  I shall believe he is swimming free in the sea!  :penguinspin: :thanks2:

Not about Happy Feet, but more about penguins.

http://10000birds.com/why-do-penguins-wear-a-tux.htm (http://10000birds.com/why-do-penguins-wear-a-tux.htm)

Happy Feet’s fate still a mystery

October 6 2011 at 10:31pm

Wellington - The fate of Happy Feet, an emperor penguin who washed up in New Zealand, 3 000 kilometres from his Antarctic home, remained a mystery despite persistent questioning in parliament on Thursday.

Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley could only tell the House of Representatives that it was “highly improbable” that he was caught in the nets of a trawler after being released into the Southern Ocean September 4.

The saga of Happy Feet has been followed by thousands around the world since he was nursed back to health after being found on a North Island beach eating sand under the impression it was snow.

Fans expressed alarm when the satellite transmitter glued to his feathers stopped sending signals eight days after he was freed from a boat into the near-freezing waters off New Zealand's Campbell Island.

There was immediate speculation that he had been eaten by a whale or some other monster of the deep, but Green member of parliament Gareth Hughes suspected he had been swept up in the nets of one of nine trawlers recorded around Happy Feet's last known location.

The boats, trawling for southern blue whiting, or blue cod, were 37 to 55 kilometres away from the penguin at the time of the last transmission.

“A southern blue whiting trawler can cover 50 nautical miles (893 kilometres) in a day, and we are talking about an incredibly long net that is almost half a kilometre wide and 75 metres high,” Hughes said.

“How can the minister claim that it is very unlikely that Happy Feet was possibly trawled?” he asked.

As the speaker tried to keep order amid the festive noise of the last day of parliament before next month's general election, Heatley reminded parliament that the closest vessel was 32 kilometres away when the transmissions fell silent.

“Its fishing lines are not 32 kilometres long,” he said. “That would have meant that the vessel raced the transponder's emission, which went probably faster than - or close to - the speed of light. That would have been a very fast fishing vessel, indeed.”

Heatley said ministry officials had been monitoring the fishing boats and Happy Feet's transponder on adjacent screens, and they never came near each other. - Sapa-dpa

Good piece, Donna - even tho we are none the wiser.

 :heart:

http://www.3news.co.nz/Fate-of-Happy-Feet-gets-final-word-in-Parliament/tabid/1216/articleID/228592/Default.aspx (http://www.3news.co.nz/Fate-of-Happy-Feet-gets-final-word-in-Parliament/tabid/1216/articleID/228592/Default.aspx) The Happy Feet debate in Parliament: Video

I understand why they made a joke out of this but I didn't really find any humor in it! Swim on Happy Feet! :heart:  :penguinspin: :penguin:

Zoo staff knew Happy Feet tracker would fall off

An experiment is offering hope to legions of Happy Feet fans that the Emperor penguin did not become a Happy Meal.

His vet is sure the transmitter superglued to his back fell off because the glue failed in the cold salt water.

Two and a half months after he left our shores, Happy Feet is still enthralling audiences.

A plastic resin replica of the Emperor penguin has been installed at Coastlands Mall on the Kapiti Coast, but what happened to the flesh and feathered version is still up for debate.

His vet, Lisa Argilla, is offering hope of a happy ending.

“I'm pretty sure he's cruising around and one day will head back to Antarctica,” she says.

Eight days after he was released the tracking device on his back stopped transmitting.

It was attached with a type of super glue.

Ms Argilla is confident the glue failed and the device fell off because she and NIWA scientists conducted an experiment on board the Tangaroa.

Using the same type of superglue they stuck plastic, to represent the tracker, to various pieces of fabric instead of feathers.

“We did about six different combinations of different materials stuck together and I don't think we would have needed material that was so close to Happy Feet,” she says. “…it had nothing to do with what was stuck together it had a lot to do with the fact the glue just became brittle and cracked and basically fell apart.”

In each test, the glue broke down after six days of being submerged in cold salt water.

The technique and glue is commonly used to track wildlife including Emperor penguins, some have kept trackers on for up to four months.

“It's tough because anything stronger you run the risk of injuring the bird. You don't want to obviously burn skin or damage the feathers irreparably.”

The risk of ruining these feathers is much lower.

The Happy Feet sculpture doesn't have a tracker because the Kapiti Coast community would also like to think it simply fell off.

3 News

Mexican red nail polish---Quest from Rochester NY still has hers after 2 years and one very outstanding
fledging!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10772197 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10772197)  story

Richlister's mission for Happy Feet

The economist and writer will join 12 of the country's top scientists on a 30-day voyage to Antarctica early next year to raise awareness of the importance of the region.

And along the way they will be trying to find the emperor penguin who made headlines around the world when he turned up at a Wellington beach in June.

Good luck to them!  ;D

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21519560 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21519560)  Video and story

Happy Feet Jr found on New Zealand beach, starved. A royal penguin is being cared for at a New Zealand zoo after being found stranded on a beach 2,000km (1,240 miles) from its Antarctic home.

The young male bird, which was dehydrated and starving, is thought to be only the fourth royal penguin to wash up there in more than a century

Very sad  :crying: