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Here is the true story of Dindim, the rescued penguin from Ilha Grande, Brazil, that returns
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every year to his rescuer according to biologist Joao Paulo Krajewski. He presented the story
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about the penguin Dindim for the segment Domingão Aventurain of Globo TV, Brazil. The heartwarming
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story went viral on social media and internet all over the world. He said that several news
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agencies and websites have published versions of the story that were filled many misconceptions
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and misinformations.
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Dindim is a Magellanic penguin that was rescued in May 2011 by Mr João Pereira de Souza,
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in Provetá Beach, Ilha Grande, Rio de Janeiro State. The penguin was covered in oil and
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could barely move. Mr. Joao cleaned and fed the penguin for days until he was strong enough
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to be released in the sea. Joao then took the penguin in a boat to a nearby island and
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released the animal. Later that day, Joao heard squeaking in his backyard at Provetá
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beach. Much to his surprise, he saw the penguin had returned and was calling out for him.
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Dindim took up temporary residence in Pereira de Souza's backyard until February 2012. One
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day in February, Dindim simply disappeared. It is unknown where Dindim had ventured off
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to. Months later in June, Joao heard a loud squeak coming from his backyard and Dindim
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was there, waiting for him. The two were reunited again. This has been going on every year since
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then. The penguin returns in late June and stays until mid-February.
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Some of the articles stated that “penguin travels 5,000 miles every year to see his
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rescuer” and even show a map showing the supposed annual migration route of Dindim.
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Krajewski says the truth is that they don't know where Dimdim goes the rest of the year,
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but the biologist says it's extremely unlikely that he travels to Patagonia, which is thousands
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of miles away. "This is because Dindim stays in Ilha Grande
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at the same time all other Magellanic penguins are breeding in Patagonia and other islands
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down South," said Krajewski. "When these penguins finish breeding and moulting,
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they migrate and spend months feeding in the sea."
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He also mentioned that he have never said that local authorities allowed Mr Joao to
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"keep the penguin because of his kindness". "First of all, the penguin is completely free.
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It sleeps in Mr. Joao’s backyard, which is connected to the beach and only partially
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fenced, since Joao is concerned about street dogs attacking the penguin," said Krajewski.
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"Judging by the first photos taken when the penguin was rescued and by an evaluation by
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local biologists, Dindim is reaching the sexual maturity now. He is estimated to be about
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6 years old." He also mentioned that Dindim is a male. "We know that because we took a
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few measurements of his bill and the sex was later confirmed by a group of professionals
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from Ubatuba’s Aquarium that took a blood sample and tagged Dindim for research, " said
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Krajewski.
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He said that João, Dindim’s rescuer, is not a fisherman and that he is a retired bricklayer.
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He have not made any comment about religion, miracles and things like these. "I don’t
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think the fact Dindim was found by Mr Joao was a divine intervention. Many penguins are
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found sick in the coast of Brazil, and finding and taking care of one is pure chance. If
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anything created this event, it was the terrible habit of humans to trash the environment,
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which causes many animals to get covered in oil or swallow trash, " said Krajewski.
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He interpreted this story as Dindim was rescued, fed and stayed with Mr. Joao for the entire
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part of the year while the species usually stay in the beach and breed along the coast
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of Patagonia, it imprinted on Dindim that Ilha Grande is home instead. "When all the
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Magellanic penguins are going to Patagonia, Dindim goes to Ilha Grande and recognises
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Mr. Joao. Penguins are usually very loyal to their partner. They may live for over 25
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years and usually mate with the same individual in the same nest every year. This site and
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partner fidelity certainly facilitated the development of the relationship between Dindim
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and Mr. Joao. The relationship was created by the accident suffered by Dindim and by
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Joao having rescued him."
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"The only statement in English I have was passed indirectly to a news agency from the
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UK, and is this: Magellanic penguins are usually very loyal to their partner. They live for
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more than 25 years and usually the same couple nests in the same hole every summer in Patagonia.
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The penguin Dindim certainly displays this same loyalty by changing the usual nesting
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site of the species by the place where it was rescued and fed in Brazil. His rescuer,
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Mr João, is now like family for him. Professionals who work with animal rescues make the most
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to avoid relationships like this so they are able to reintroduce the animal into the wild.
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But this isolated case in Brazil certainly allowed Dindim to live and was the best this
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humble and kind man could do for the penguin."
