An emperor penguin surprised locals when it appeared on a beach in Australia after making an epic journey of thousands of miles from its home in Antarctica.

It's not clear how the juvenile male ended up so far north, but experts suggest he was motivated by his appetite

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 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,

On Friday, an emperor penguin somehow waddled up onto the sand of Ocean Beach in Denmark, Western Australia. It swam from its home in Antarctica.

After washing up in Denmark on the southern coast of Australia after a 3,400km trip the penguin, given the name Gus, is being looked after by wildlife carers.

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.”