The state of Western Australia's Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, said the penguin species has never been reported in Australia before.

For the first time, an emperor penguin was found in Australia, having made the 2,200 mile swim from its home in Antarctica . The lone penguin was spotted at a popular beach in the town of Denmark earlier this month.

Wildlife officials are looking at options for the malnourished penguin's future and returning him home has not been ruled out.

A malnourished emperor penguin appeared on a beach in Australia, thousands of miles from its home in Antarctica. Wildlife experts rescued the bird and took it to a rehabilitation center.

An emperor penguin swam approximately 2,100 miles from Antarctica to western Australia in what scientists believe is the longest journey ever recorded for the species.

That crazy young penguin," said a University of Washington professor who studies the birds. “This is the furthest north I’ve heard of an emperor penguin.”

Beachgoers in Australia were shocked to see a lone emperor penguin waddling out of the ocean. Somehow, it swam 3,400km from its Antarctic home.

Emperor penguins are renowned cold-weather specialists that can survive blustery winds and temperatures of around minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit during the Antarctic winter. So, what was one doing on a balmy beach in Australia last week?

Emperor Penguin Spotted on Beach in Australia Miles Away From Home, Surprises Locals Australian beaches had occasionally seen king penguins stranded far from their native habitats. Recently, however,