Brazilian military to aid stray penguins

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

SAO PAULO, Brazil - Brazil is staging a military operation involving a Hercules transport plane and Navy ships — all to return four dozen wayward penguins to the icy waters of Antarctica, authorities said Wednesday.

The 50 birds are the survivors among 135 that started appearing in Rio de Janeiro in early June, dragged to warm Brazilian waters by ocean currents, said Giselda Candiotto, president of Rio's Niteroi Zoo Foundation, which is caring for the penguins.

A Hercules C-130 transport airplane will take the flightless birds to Pelotas in southern Brazil on Sept. 23 for the first leg of their journey home, the Air Force's press office said. There, they will be examined by veterinarians at the Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center of the Eliezer de Carvalho Rios Oceanographic Museum.

From Pelotas, the penguins will be driven to the coast and placed on Navy ships. They will be taken 40 miles offshore before being released into the southern Atlantic.

"Ocean currents will hopefully carry them back to their natural habitat," Candiotto said. "If everything goes smoothly, the penguins should be back in Antarctica within 10 days after leaving Rio."

Every year between June and August, large numbers of penguins arrive in Rio from the Strait of Magellan, Candiotto said by telephone from Rio.

"They are young, inexperienced animals that, in their search for food, get caught in the ocean currents," she said. The birds arrive near Rio extremely debilitated and having lost about two-thirds of their normal body weight. About half die of hyperthermia, hyperglycemia and exhaustion, she added.

Brazil began penguin airlifts in 2000, returning as many as 100 a year to their natural habitat, said Lauro Barcellos of the Oceanographic Museum.

yay brazil!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Brazil began penguin airlifts in 2000, returning as many as 100 a year to their natural habitat, said Lauro Barcellos of the Oceanographic Museum.

If some number of them regularly get swept away by currents, then isn't that just a part of the process of natural selection? Why are we (people) interfering with that?

What next, are we going to assign baby penguins soldiers to protect them from predators?

[Traviesa 0]

I penguins...especially baby ones...

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

Brazil began penguin airlifts in 2000, returning as many as 100 a year to their natural habitat, said Lauro Barcellos of the Oceanographic Museum.

If some number of them regularly get swept away by currents, then isn't that just a part of the process of natural selection? Why are we (people) interfering with that?

What next, are we going to assign baby penguins soldiers to protect them from predators?

penguins are cute

good idea about the penguin soldiers. i'll send that one in as a recommendation.

can we include seal soldiers too? baby seals are sooo cute too

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I penguins...especially baby ones...

Well send your idea to the DNC, they're looking for popular ideas on where to 'redeploy' all those troops in Iraq. Maybe we could make a list of 'cute' animals and have our troops protect their young from predators.

[Traviesa 0]

I penguins...especially baby ones...

Well send your idea to the DNC, they're looking for popular ideas on where to 'redeploy' all those troops in Iraq. Maybe we could make a list of 'cute' animals and have our troops protect their young from predators.

Sounds like a winner to me!

[LiszyandKenny 5]

aaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwww... it had to be here

My Honey loooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvessss Penguins

so much that actually he even walks like one

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

they were just looking for t he brasilian national team to kick their fat azzes for losing the world cup.

Daniel

:energetic:

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

they were just looking for t he brasilian national team to kick their fat azzes for losing the world cup.

Daniel

:energetic:

maybe that's who got assigned to go rescue them....the brazilian soccer team

heck they might even find a few argentinian soccer players floating around out there

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

they were just looking for t he brasilian national team to kick their fat azzes for losing the world cup.

Daniel

:energetic:

maybe that's who got assigned to go rescue them....the brazilian soccer team

heck they might even find a few argentinian soccer players floating around out there

ouch! you just had to drag the argentines into this. lets hope for brasil's sake it wasn't maradona that was floating in it's waters.

Daniel

:energetic:

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

they were just looking for t he brasilian national team to kick their fat azzes for losing the world cup.

Daniel

:energetic:

maybe that's who got assigned to go rescue them....the brazilian soccer team

heck they might even find a few argentinian soccer players floating around out there

ouch! you just had to drag the argentines into this. lets hope for brasil's sake it wasn't maradona that was floating in it's waters.

Daniel

:energetic:

all that would mean is he went to the beach and greenpeace towed him to deeper water

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

ouch! you just had to drag the argentines into this. lets hope for brasil's sake it wasn't maradona that was floating in it's waters.

all that would mean is he went to the beach and greenpeace towed him to deeper water

hopefully he didn't run into any japanese whalers....

[UmmSqueakster 54]

When I was little, one of my favorite books was Mr. Popper's Penguins. I wish they made good pets *sigh* I guess I'll just have to make due with pictures and a penguin themed avatar.

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[Traviesa 0]

Baby penguins!!! In sweaters!!! sigh....

[Alex+R 0]

I am drowning in all that cuteness. I might have to ralph.

Better than kittens...