The penguin pair who crossed the ocean

It sounds like a fairytale – two of the world’s rarest penguins, each having travelled vast, unforgiving distances across the ocean alone, years apart, find one another against all odds.

But it’s not a children’s story. This remarkable journey made by Pierre and Pascale the Northern Rockhopper Penguins is real!

In 2020 male Rockhopper Pierre was rescued after finding himself washed up on the shores of Western Australia, far from his native home on the islands of the Indian or South Atlantic Ocean.

Pierre presented with arrested moult, which means he started his annual feather moult but it stopped before it was complete, affecting his waterproofing.

He was taken in by wildlife carers but his arrested moult meant he could not safely be released back into the wild.

So, he moved to Perth Zoo’s veterinary hospital to build up strength, body condition and grow a new plumage of beautiful feathers. This charismatic little penguin became a viral sensation, and once he had regained his health he was transferred to his new forever home as a bachelor at Singapore Zoo.

Fast forward to 2024 when female Rockhopper Pascale washed up on a WA beach in similar conditions!

Perth Zoo

Pascale arrived with the same arrested moult preventing her wild release, but we are thrilled to report that after her rescue and months of tireless TLC from the dedicated Perth Zoo team, Pascale is now fit enough to travel to Singapore and meet her Penguin pal, Pierre!

The Zoo’s veterinary team performed Pascale’s final health exam, checking her heartbeat, body condition, and her webbed feet. It was a splashing success and Pascale was given her ticket to fly!

Northern Rockhopper Penguins are incredibly rare, and their chances of survival on such a vast journey are slim, so it’s nothing short of extraordinary that these two special birds are rehabilitated and soon to be introduced to each other.

The hope is they will form a bond strong enough to produce healthy chicks, embarking on their next adventure together: protecting their rare species through parenthood!

Every individual counts, and for these two remarkable rockhoppers their story is just beginning!