The emperor penguin, dubbed Gus, had somehow swam over 2,000 miles from his icy home and was found on a sun-drenched beach in Denmark, Western Australia, earlier this month.

Rescuers are trying to rehabilitate an emperor penguin that came ashore some 2,000 miles from its natural habitat, and what comes next is "still being worked through."

The first emperor penguin found in Australia has been released after spending 20 days in the care of a wildlife expert, the Australian government said Friday.