Orphaned Baby Penguin Was Terrified of Water — but One Guy Helped the Bird Overcome Her Fear

Penguins are one of the most threatened groups of seabirds. Half of the 18 species listed are vulnerable to extinction by BirdLife International. Therefore, it is crucial to save every individual of the bird species and ensure their existence on Earth. A rescue group in Peru took active efforts to rehabilitate an abandoned baby penguin who washed up on the beach alone and had developed hydrophobia. In a viral YouTube interview posted by The Dodo (@TheDodo), the rescue group took viewers on an orphaned penguin’s journey to freedom.

A man helps a baby penguin 

An orphaned baby penguin was rescued after tourists found her stranded at the Punta Hermosa Beach, South of Lima, in Peru. They made early attempts to send the penguin back to her wild habitat by pushing her back into the ocean, but the penguin, later named Natalia, did not budge. Terrified of the crowd gathered, she was left confused and deeply terrified of her surroundings until the non-profit rescue group, ORCA, came over to rehabilitate her. Carlos, one of the rescuers, found that Natalia had a fear of water. “I never saw a penguin who was scared of water, ever. This was the first time that we’ve seen something like this,” he said in the interview. 

Penguins are primarily found in the Southern Hemisphere, with 18 penguin species spread across islands. They are known for their impressive swimming ability, given that they are flightless birds, and secure food and fish from the water. Hence, it is supremely important that Natalia overcame her fear. When the rescuers made efforts to expose her to water in baby pools, Natalia could barely stand in the water for more than a few seconds. “It was sad to see how scared she was,” Carlos explained. The rescuers figured that she had developed the phobia when the tourists tried to push her back into the water, causing the penguin to wash up on the beach repeatedly. The experts were concerned about her progress in rehabilitation and consulted a wildlife expert, Peter Gros.

Natalia is set free

Natalia was a Humboldt penguin, a species under significant threat and listed in the IUCN Red List. Habitat loss, overfishing, and population are some of the factors leading to their rapid population decline, per ScienceDirect. Expert Gros advised Carlos to start exposing Natalia to small pools of water to begin and use fish as a “reward” to help her become acquainted with the water. Gradually introducing her to a larger, deeper pool, eventually, it will get her over her fear of water. In the initial days, Natalia did poorly and did not even respond to the food. Soon, the rescue team observed progress in the penguin’s reaction to water. Natalia began eating the fish and remained calm in the pool.

By Day 11, the baby penguin was getting into a medium-sized pool and was joined by a fellow rescue penguin days later. Natalia and Rosita bonded well and started making “penguin lives” together. On Day 17, Natalia and Rosita impressed the rescuers with their swimming abilities. It was time for the penguins to head back to the wild and live free. “They’re such a red-listed, highly endangered animal. I think it’s terrific that any one of these can be saved,” said Gros. The rescue team transported the penguins safely to a boat and headed towards a region near Lima that was protected by the fishermen and locals. The final moment arrived, and while Rosita instantly jumped back into the ocean, Natalie took a moment, as if showing gratitude, and then swam over to her natural habitat. 

You can follow @TheDodo for more videos. 

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