Wildlife

Penguin Mate

A starving and oil-covered Magellanic penguin saved by a Rio de Janeiro retiree in 2011 has returned to its rescuer each year after spending more than four months at sea in the South Atlantic.

Joao Pereira de Souza, 71, says “Dindim” stayed with him for 11 months after being cleaned up and fed fish to help it regain strength.

But the male penguin came back a few months later and has since come to visit de Souza annually from late June until mid-February.

“I love the penguin like it’s my own child and I believe the penguin loves me,” de Souza told Brazil’s Globo TV.

Experts say that since Dindim is with its human companion during the typical penguin mating period, it probably considers de Souza its mate. De Souza says Dindim appears to become more affectionate each year when it returns.

Penguins live to about 25 and typically stay loyal to the same partner until they die.