Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know this probably will not be answered in time, but I really need help. Me and my brothers found a Patagonian Penguin by itself shivering and sitting on a beach in Argentina pretty far from patagonia. We researched them and it said they migrate up the coast in fall to Brazil in families. The problem is it was by itself and we found two other dead penguins up the beach, so we think that it's family is dead. Does Anyone know what to do with this? Should I bring it home to Canada?

These penguins are usually referred to as the Magellan penguin. They migrate to Patagonia Argentina in the SPRING searching for warmer climates and waters to swim in. They usually migrate during the colder winter and arrive sometime during spring after traveling sometimes over 3000km.

I would definitely not bring it home to Canada. If possible you could try checking to see if there is a conservation type service in that area and notify them about the found penguin or notify any other service there that works with native and non-native wild animals. By bringing it home with you, you will be removing it completely from the area it should be in.

It is possible that its family has perished along the way and this does often happen. They have done huge rescues to help them find their way in the past when large amounts have somehow become disoriented and ended up in other areas away from their usual migration. I would hate to see their population hurt any by this one dying as well but it would do better either in the hands of a trained rescue/conservation person or being left alone to travel on its own rather than taken to an area other than where it should be migrating to.