My New Zealand Vacation - Happy Foot missing

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the situation of a young penguin that has traveled to New Zealand after taking a wrong turn near Antarctica. Participants explore the implications of wildlife management, the penguin's health, and the ethical considerations of intervention versus letting nature take its course.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express concern over the decision to let the penguin "die naturally," questioning the morality of not intervening.
  • Others discuss the practical challenges of saving the penguin, noting that repatriation to Antarctica is not feasible due to biohazard concerns and logistical issues.
  • A participant shares an anecdote from Antarctica about a flock of Adelie penguins, highlighting the policy of non-interference with wildlife.
  • There are suggestions that the penguin could be taken to a zoo, with some arguing that its survival skills might benefit the species.
  • Some participants speculate about the penguin's navigation skills and survival, with contrasting views on whether its journey indicates unique abilities or defects.
  • Updates on the penguin's health indicate it has received medical attention and is recovering, though concerns remain about its long-term care.
  • Participants share humorous remarks and personal anecdotes related to the penguin's situation, reflecting a mix of concern and light-heartedness.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the best course of action for the penguin, with multiple competing views on intervention, wildlife management ethics, and the penguin's condition remaining unresolved.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations regarding the assumptions about wildlife management policies, the penguin's health status, and the feasibility of transporting it back to Antarctica, which remain unclear.

Pengwuino
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http://www.watoday.com.au/environme...rn-ends-up-in-new-zealand-20110622-1gebr.html

He's healthy, well-fed and far from home. And he's quickly become the most popular attraction on a New Zealand beach. If only he could talk.

A young penguin apparently took a wrong turn while swimming near Antarctica and endured a 2000-mile (3200-kilometre) journey to New Zealand, the first time in 44 years that one of the creatures has been sighted here in the wild.

lolololololololol DISCUSS.
 
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They're not going to try to save it and just "let nature take it's course"?? It's a miracle it survived until now, so let's just let it die. The poor thing is eating sand now.

WTH is wrong with people?
 


Evo said:
They're not going to try to save it and just "let nature take it's course"?? It's a miracle it survived until now, so let's just let it die. The poor thing is eating sand now.

WTH is wrong with people?

There are some thought-out principles regarding wildlife here.

What would "saving it" look like? It could not be repatriated to Antarctica - both for strict biohazard reasons and the fact that there won't be any flights going that way for a few months (it's winter!).

It will probably be left to head back to sea, or be put down if it is suffering.

But as I say, this is a standard dilemma. I was in Antarctica last year and a whole flock of cute Adelie penguins came past, disoriented and heading inland.

The penguin scientist I was with said if they don't turn round, they will be dead. They are going the wrong way and will starve. But there is a strong official policy of not interfering with nature down there. So we stood and watched. (They turned around and probably were OK you'll be relieved to hear :smile:.)

As for penguins, we have little ones that paddle in the harbour and make their burrows under people's houses here. There will be plenty agonising over the fate of this Emperor.
 


apeiron said:
There are some thought-out principles regarding wildlife here.

What would "saving it" look like? It could not be repatriated to Antarctica - both for strict biohazard reasons and the fact that there won't be any flights going that way for a few months (it's winter!).

It will probably be left to head back to sea, or be put down if it is suffering.

But as I say, this is a standard dilemma. I was in Antarctica last year and a whole flock of cute Adelie penguins came past, disoriented and heading inland.

The penguin scientist I was with said if they don't turn round, they will be dead. They are going the wrong way and will starve. But there is a strong official policy of not interfering with nature down there. So we stood and watched. (They turned around and probably were OK you'll be relieved to hear :smile:.)

As for penguins, we have little ones that paddle in the harbour and make their burrows under people's houses here. There will be plenty agonising over the fate of this Emperor.
Then someone, a zoo even, needs to take the baby in. The fact that he has such great survival skills could boost the breed.
 


Evo said:
Then someone, a zoo even, needs to take the baby in. The fact that he has such great survival skills could boost the breed.

but then he might try to take over the world, and we'd just end up having to call in Batman.
 


Pengwuino said:
lolololololololol DISCUSS.
I think you misunderstood the joys of a vacation on a sandy beach, Penguino. You're not supposed to eat it.
 


Evo said:
Then someone, a zoo even, needs to take the baby in. The fact that he has such great survival skills could boost the breed.

I'm sure zoo keepers are already rubbing their hands.

But as to boosting the breed, seems like this guy has dangerously defective navigation skills.
 


apeiron said:
I'm sure zoo keepers are already rubbing their hands.

But as to boosting the breed, seems like this guy has dangerously defective navigation skills.
He could have been caught in a current that killed off all of the others, yet he alone survived with his expert skills. It's not easy to survive what he survived, that is one unique penguin.
 


Evo said:
He could have been caught in a current that killed off all of the others, yet he alone survived with his expert skills. It's not easy to survive what he survived, that is one unique penguin.

You've been watching too many Disney movies Evo.
 
  • #10


What if the Native Americans said of the Pilgrims (pidgin for "penguins") "let Nature take its course"?
 
  • #11


I'm reminded of this awesome clip from Herzog's "Encounters at the End of the World", which I watched a couple of days ago:

 
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  • #13


Here is another poor penguin. Caveat: violence and language.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8mUTHO6P8k
 
  • #14


Wait, they're just letting the penguin starve to dead? :cry:
 
  • #15


Jimmy Snyder said:
Here is another poor penguin. Caveat: violence and language.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8mUTHO6P8k

Kaa-zing... Jimmy scores... again...

Rhody... o:)
 
  • #16


"Happy Feet" has been whisked off to Wellington Zoo as his/her condition deteriorated and public pressure built. Next stop, tipped over the side of the next season's toothfishing fleet probably.
 
  • #17


apeiron said:
"Happy Feet" has been whisked off to Wellington Zoo as his/her condition deteriorated and public pressure built.
Thank goodness.

Next stop, tipped over the side of the next season's toothfishing fleet probably.
:cry:
 
  • #18


Evo said:
Thank goodness.

:cry:

Medical update. Penguin has been on the vet's table and the sand sucked out of its gut. Is now noshing on ice and being offered a slurry of fish meal. X-ray of the bird in the paper today.
 
  • #19


Good that he's doing ok! :smile:
 
  • #20


Stupid penguin gets treated better by you people than I do :cry:
 
  • #21
micromass said:
Good that he's doing ok! :smile:
No, he's very sick! :cry: they let him eat sand and sticks all week instead of helping him. Don't let him die micro! :cry:

[PLAIN]http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/06/24/penguin_AP11062415355_620x350.jpg

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/06/24/501364/main20074034.shtml
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #22


Evo said:
No, he's very sick! :cry: they let him eat sand and sticks all week instead of helping him.

I know :frown: But at least they've got the sand out of his system now so he can recover.
 
  • #23


Pengwuino said:
Stupid penguin gets treated better by you people than I do :cry:

*hands peng a bucket of sand*
 
  • #24


micromass said:
*hands peng a bucket of sand*
*Hands Peng some sticks*
 
  • #25


micromass said:
*hands peng a bucket of sand*

nomnomnom
 
  • #26


apeiron said:
Medical update. Penguin has been on the vet's table and the sand sucked out of its gut. Is now noshing on ice and being offered a slurry of fish meal. X-ray of the bird in the paper today.
But they say they don't have facilities to take care of his type. Hopefully someone will transport him to a suitable facility, then eventually back to Antartica.

I wonder how he traveled so far, an iceberg? I mean penguins can't swim 24/7 right? He must have washed out on some ice and was sticking near it for rest.
 
  • #27


Pengwuino said:
nomnomnom
I can't mistreat our Peng, throws Peng a bucket of fresh fish.
 
  • #28


Evo said:
But they say they don't have facilities to take care of his type. Hopefully someone will transport him to a suitable facility, then eventually back to Antartica.

I wonder how he traveled so far, an iceberg? I mean penguins can't swim 24/7 right? He must have washed out on some ice and was sticking near it for rest.

I was reading in one of the articles that penguins can stay in water for something like 2 months.
 
  • #29


Pengwuino said:
I was reading in one of the articles that penguins can stay in water for something like 2 months.
Really? They are mas macho than I knew.
 
  • #30


Evo said:
Really? They are mas macho than I knew.
Especially the women.
 

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