With all of the chaos in the world, one thing that puts a smile on the faces of most people are animals. You can’t help but laugh when watching a penguin waddle across the ice. Even better are stories about wild animals who have gotten injured or in trouble, and are able to get back home and return to a good life. This month, among the earthquakes, hurricanes and economic troubles, there are also several stories with happy endings to tell.
An Emperor Penguin with an apt name, “Happy Feet,” had washed onto a New Zealand beach on the Kapiti coast in June. An Emperor Penguin is not a common sight on the shore’s of Peka Peka beach, and it was only the second one seen there. The penguin was emaciated, and close to dying. It turned out the poor penguin had over six and a half pounds of sand in his stomach, and he needed surgery to have it removed.
Happy Feet had also ingested driftwood, and it is believed that he had mistaken these non-food items as ice. He was not a well penguin.
On Sunday, after two months of care and recovery, Happy Feet was released back into the Southern Ocean by the research vessel, Tangaroa, about 50 miles north of the remote Campbell Island.
A Wellington Zoo Manager of Veterinary Service who had been one of the penguin’s caregivers, Dr. Lisa Argilla, said it took a little encouragement to get Happy Feet out of his comfortable crate, but once he got into the water he happily dove away from the boat and swam off through the water.
Another wild animal with a happy ending to what could have been a tragic story, occurred in Florida a little over a week ago. A manatee that was injured after being hit by a boat in Charlotte County, was released, a little worse for the wear, back into the water. The pregnant manatee, called “Freida,” lost her tail when she collided with a boat propeller.
Gail Klotz, was the woman who helped save the endangered animal three months ago, and was there to watch her return home. The Tampa Lowry Park Zoo helped to rehabilitate Freida and get her back to where she belonged.
Klotz said, “It’s like any parent would feel when their kids get the keys to the car and drive off. I am hoping Freida will come back to where I first saw her and have her baby.”
Manatees are amazing creatures, and zoo employee Virginia Edmond commented , “It’s an amazing feeling to be able to give an animal a second chance like that. It’s a little bittersweet. We all know it’s a very tough life for manatees. But it’s also where they belong.”
Happy endings like that are only possible because of people who are dedicated to protecting our environment, and our wildlife. Let’s all be sure to support their efforts, and remember the importance of all living things on Earth.