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Follow a Newly Released Penguin on Google Maps as He Swims to Antarctica

by Max Eddy | 2:50 pm, September 6th, 2011

A few months ago, the Emperor Penguin that would come to be known as “Happy Feet” came ashore in New Zealand. After it was clear that the penguin was not faring well on his own, rescue workers nursed him back to health and released him with the hope that he would find his way back to Antarctica. Now, the whole world can follow this plucky bird’s progress from the comfort of their own homes through Google Maps.

The whole scheme works thanks to a small GPS tracking device attached to the penguin. Sirtrack, the device’s maker, is keen to point out that it has been specially designed not to impede the penguin’s swimming ability and weighs less than 1% of the bird’s weight. Twice a day, the device activates and broadcasts location data for three hours at a time, presumably to increase the onboard battery life.

So far, Happy Feet seems to be doing quite well on his southward journey, but we can only hope that he doesn’t get thrown off course again.

(Sirtrack via Gizmodo)

  • Rsicuro

    Love the concept and am somewhat confused as to whether the red diamond is Happy or the blue dots at 51/12 is Happy.

  • Beedle the bard

    Here’s a clue: in the article it says he’s heading “southward”.

  • Bnbturner

    why not just take him all the way back to make sure he gets there?

  • Penguins4ever

    I understand that juvenile emperor penguins, such as Happy Feet, are at sea at this time of year, and he is not due back in Antarctica until he is 4-5 years old, when he might breed.  Apparently emperor penguins are usually only out of the water when they breed or moult.  There is speculation too, that the penguin ended up on the NZ coast as a result of being ‘by catch’ from  a fishing boat, and later released.

  • Paul

    Apparently under international law it is illegal to take any sort of animal to Antarctica…

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  • Selim Dridi

    Human kind is generally stupid thats why …

  • elsieowings

    The red diamond is where the Tangaroa research vessel dropped him off.  The dots leading southeast below the red triangle show his track since he was released.  He zigzags quite a bit because he is likely to be fishing during the day and drifting at night.

  • Ryn

    I feel really sorry for poor penguin and got discusted when I saw it on TV. After treating him with all the love just to dump him by himself and make him swim all this way in unhuman… I hope he will be safe there and gets home. But what if he will be rejected by others?!… The ones that took care of him should know about it. I feel like we will not know a total truth anyway. They will say that he got home just to make us feel good. Poor penguin…..

  • Enamorada

     Dear penguin, can you please get back home safely and stay with the other penguins. Please help by praying for the penguin that he will return back safely and find a mate and will stay with the other penguins.

  • Bspaul2001

    do this animal have any privacy? why monitor him?


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