Common sense leads the population to associate penguins with cold environments such as Antarctica, so when they find a stranded animal on the beach, many people cover it from ice, but in fact The correct way is precisely the opposite.
The appearance of penguins on the Brazilian coast lights a warning among experts on the dangers faced by these animals, especially the younger ones. William Rodriguez Schepis, biologist at the Ecofaxina Institute, explains to CNN What should not be done when rescuing the bird. “People when they find the penguin, they want to put it on the ice, and in fact it often needs thermal blanket because it has hypothermia for exhaustion.”
The biologist explains that the animal needs to be warm, “When he is out of the water, they come together to warm up and rest. The correct guidance is to trigger the environmental organs responsible for the rescue.”
As you migrate to the Brazilian coast, younger animals can get lost from the group and swim long distances in contrary currents. This kind of situation can lead the penguin to exhaustion.
Penguins in Brazil
At least, only in Florianópolis, capital of Santa Catarina, according to data from PMP-BS (Paias Monitoring Project of the Santos Basin), an institution linked to Petrobras that CNN had access. In all, more than 1,500 km from the Brazilian coastal strip is monitored by the agency, considering a stretch of Santa Catarina to Rio de Janeiro.
Reason for deaths
The Magalhães Pinguins Migram from Argentine Patagonia to the Brazilian Coast during winter in search of warmer waters. Among the main reasons for deaths are the lack of food, hypothermia, diseases and interactions with human activities such as fishing.
Regarding the amount of animals found dead, Emanuel explains that the number of animals that die during migration varies from year to year. This variation depends on environmental factors and food availability at sea.
What to do when seeing a living penguin on the beach:
- If the animal is in the sea, it does not interfere; It may be passing through and the rescue is not yet authorized
- If the animal is sick in the sand, do not try to return it to the sea
- Never put the penguin in contact with the ice
- Avoid approaching the animal: it can get scared and try to go back to the sea
- Remove children, domestic and curious animals
