A king penguin named Hope has been discovered on Quagi Beach near Esperance, Western Australia, more than 4,000 kilometers from its sub-Antarctic home. The sighting, believed to be the first confirmed in WA since 2011, prompted a high-level biosecurity response due to concerns about avian influenza.
Campers alerted the Esperance Wildlife Hospital after spotting the penguin on the remote beach, almost 700 kilometers from Perth. Wildlife carer Lori-Ann Shibish, who previously conducted research in Antarctica, identified the bird as a king penguin, the second-largest penguin species.
Given the detection of a deadly strain of bird flu on Heard Island in 2025, Shibish used a full hazmat suit and an avian influenza grab kit from Murdoch University to handle the penguin. Swab tests at the Esperance Wildlife Hospital returned negative for H1N1 and Newcastle disease.
Hope is undergoing a catastrophic moult, a month-long process that requires the penguin to remain on land. She will stay in a quarantine pen at the hospital until she is ready to be released for her journey home.
