    Penguins Flown South for Record-Breaking Release to the Wild in Brazil Posted by: philcrosby on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 Topic Close to 400 rescued penguins took to the skies on a C-130 Hercules military aircraft bound for Pelotas, in southern Brazil where they were released back to their ocean home. assisted the Instituto Mamiferos Aquaticos (IMA) and Brazilian officials to save hundreds of juvenile Magellanic penguins that mysteriously stranded on the warm beaches of Salvador, 1,400 kilometers north of Sao Paulo. The airlift departed from Salvador in the northeastern state of Bahia on Friday and flew 2,500 kilometers to reach its destination. Upon landing, the precious cargo of juvenile penguins was loaded onto trucks and headed for an overnight stay at the Center for Recovery of Marine Animals. The next morning the rested birds were taken to Cassino beach. They were released with a smaller group of adult penguins that had been rehabilitated after becoming oiled. Experts hope these more mature and experienced birds will guide the younger animals south. The Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) breed in large colonies in southern Argentina and Chile and migrate north as far as southwest Brazil between March and September. According to experts, a flow of warmer water (1 degree Celsius higher than normal) caused the juvenile penguins to keep going north, past their usual range, where they are unable to find adequate food. A cheerful crowd of onlookers watched as the birds entered the South Atlantic Ocean and quickly swam away. This release has gone into the record books as being the largest ever in South America with 373 penguins released at the same time. "We are overjoyed to see these penguins waddle back to the ocean and have a second chance at life," said Valeria Ruoppolo of IFAW. "Hundreds of penguins died in this unusual event and while media reports have often linked global warming to the penguins' demise, at this point there is no way to know for certain why these animals stranded." The rehabilitated penguins carry bands on their flippers. Information obtained about these banded and released birds is critical to helping scientists determine the success of rehabilitation and learn about their migratory habits. IFAW's team of experts worked with the IMA in Salvador, Bahia, and the Instituto ORCA in Vitoria, Espirito Santo, to help save the penguins. The Brazilian Institute for Environment and Renewable Resources (IBAMA) welcomed IFAW's expertise for the rehabilitation of the stranded penguins in three different states. IFAW's staff worked closely with the authorities at IBAMA to advise on bird release criteria, banding and suitable locations to release these birds, where they can find enough fish to survive. IFAW's experience in rehabilitation has saved the lives of tens of thousands of penguins. In 2000, IFAW helped save an entire species -- rehabilitating and releasing 19,000 African penguins caught in the Treasure oil spill off South Africa. Today, IFAW's oiled wildlife response team is widely recognized as the world's finest. Related links · · Most read story in Environment: "Penguins Flown South for Record-Breaking Release to the Wild in Brazil" | | 4 Comments Threshold Comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content. Re: Penguins Flown South for Record-Breaking Release to the Wild in Brazil (Score: 1) by wuy890124 on Oct 07, 2008 - 09:37 AM ( | ) 有一次意外發現到 練功&#65292;他的功夫不&#36664;給 的功力&#65292; 看得很&#35738;嘆&#65292;就&#36899; 的&#39749;力&#37117;大減了&#65292; 最&#36817;的專&#36655;&#37117;提早外洩&#65292;因為 的出名&#65292;最&#36817;的三寶&#39151;不早&#40670;&#36023;&#37117;會&#36067;完呢&#65292;&#33258;從 &#36229;&#33804;的模樣&#65292;可愛的小 因此發揚光大&#65292;看 的人也&#35722;多了&#65292;&#36899; &#37117;感慨最&#36817;的年&#36629;人&#65292;上網&#38500;了上 &#35342;&#35542;外&#65292;&#36996;會上 &#32842;天室收&#39178;乾妹妹&#65292;各個&#37117;&#35498;他&#36319; 一樣帥&#65292;也因為&#36889;樣 也&#34987;吸引到了&#65292;如果把妹也&#37027;&#40636;容易的&#35441;&#65292;或&#35377; 的結果根本就只是個 罷了&#65292;真不知&#36947; 是怎&#40636;教學生的&#65281; [ Comments not allowed for anonymous users, please ] Re: Penguins Flown South for Record-Breaking Release to the Wild in Brazil (Score: 1) by ninja on Oct 08, 2008 - 01:50 AM ( | ) [ Comments not allowed for anonymous users, please ] Re: Penguins Flown South for Record-Breaking Release to the Wild in Brazil (Score: 0) by Anonymous on Oct 08, 2008 - 02:07 AM [ Comments not allowed for anonymous users, please ] Re: Penguins Flown South for Record-Breaking Release to the Wild in Brazil (Score: 0) by Anonymous on Oct 08, 2008 - 02:17 AM [ Comments not allowed for anonymous users, please ] How Do I .... ? · · · · · · · All logos and trademarks on this site are the property of their respective owners. The comments are property of their posters, all the rest ý 2007 by PNNOnline. 