Since the closure of the Suez Canal, many oil tankers have detoured in southern Africa. In April 1960, an oil tanker struck a reef in the southern tip of Africa and sank, spilling 15,000 tons of crude oil. There was black mucus floating on the surface of the sea. Many animals suffered as a result.
The penguins got oil on their bodies, they couldn’t swim or dive, and died batch after batch. At this time, many animal rescue volunteers came to rescue the penguins. Those penguins who survived, as long as they regain their vitality, will be returned to the islands on the sea.
One winter morning that year, a young penguin was taken to the outskirts of Cape Town. Obviously, it is a victim of oil pollution. It has a dull-eyed, thin and slender face, and a small fish is still frozen on its face, as if it were glued on.
The kind Ernsts took it in, they had taken in many of the same penguins.
They washed the little penguin, patiently fed him various delicious things, and named him “Pike”. Soon, Pike Penguin adapted to the new environment, swaying a pair of short legs, swaying around in the messy garden of the Ernsts, and constantly flapping the short black and white wings.
Two months later, Penguin Pike changed his shape, looking fat and fat. Everyone said that he had fully recovered and could return to nature. As a result, Penguin Pike was tied to a “640” label on his feet, and returned to the sea with the other penguins. After getting off the boat, many penguins rushed to the waves without hesitation. Penguin Pike looked back at the Ernsts who were standing on the deck. After making a circle on the sea, he finally followed the other penguins to swim far away.
However, ten days later, a woman on the island of Brie called Ernst and said that she had found a penguin on the beach with the number 640 on her feet. The Ernsts were happy and worried: The little penguin actually swam in the direction where they lived. Could it be that its body hasn’t fully recovered yet? They rushed to the penguin Pike to double check: everything is normal, it should return to nature.
As a result, Parker was sent back to the sea.
However, a week later, the residents of Brie Island notified the Ernsts again that Penguin No. 640 had returned. Many staff responsible for repatriating penguins were unable to understand this, and finally decided to send Penguin Pike to the farther waters, where the island is more than ten miles away from Brie Island, so that the naughty Pike will not be so. Easy to swim back.
However, only four days later, Mr. Ernst received a call, and Mrs. Marais on the island of Brie said: “My two poodles today have a fat friend who is also furry,-yours The penguin came out of the sea, crossed the beach and grass, ran to my house, and played with the puppy.” Ernst drove immediately and picked Penguin Pike back.
At Ernst’s house, Parker was familiar with it. As long as there are guests, it will slide quickly through the marble corridor like ice skating, then slam the brakes and stand in the middle of the house curiously staring at others. Sometimes, it would peck at guests’ bags and tea cups, and look around with an air of a little master. After the inspection, it went back to the garden triumphantly.
The other penguins returned to the sea one after another, but Penguin Pike went back to the land, seemingly attached to the Ernsts. By the end of November of another year, Parker had grown fatter, walked and swayed, his feathers became sparse, and he was changing feathers, indicating that he had entered the “manhood” from “adolescence”. The Ernsts are a little worried that if Parker does not return to the penguin colony, he will become a real “land duck”, and at that time, he will no longer be able to adapt to marine life.
At the end of December, a young female penguin arrived. Parker is very friendly to it, and they often walk in the garden together. One warm and quiet night, Ernst was awakened by a loud noise. He got up and saw that on the grass in the moonlight, Penguin Parker and his new friend were screaming sweetly, hugging each other with their wings, and rubbing their mouths, if There is no hoarse cry, this scene can be said to be very gentle.
Since then, the couple has been inseparable.
Soon, Ernst decided to take them to the more distant Danson Island, where many penguins inhabit and breed, and they will definitely live there.
However, within half a month, this pair of penguins appeared at Ernst’s house again.
“This must be Penguin Parker’s idea again.” Both the Ernsts thought so. Is it afraid of the oil pollution sweeping the sea again, or does it have a deep attachment to the owner who takes it in? This has become a mystery.
