Rogue Penguin Resurfaces in Tokyo Bay - East Idaho News
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Rogue Penguin Resurfaces in Tokyo Bay

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Getty 051712 EscapingPenguin?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1337286313412File photo. (iStockphoto/Thinkstock)(TOKYO) — A Humboldt penguin that made a daring escape from a Tokyo aquarium has resurfaced two months later.

The year-old feathered creature was spotted in a Japanese Coast Guard video, swimming in Tokyo Bay and looking healthy, even though it had been on its own for an extended period.

The bird, known only as Penguin Number 337, escaped Tokyo Sea Life Park in March by scaling a 13-foot rock wall and squeezing through a barbed wire fence. Keepers at Tokyo Sea Life Park launched a daily penguin-hunt, fearing the bird could get sick from the pollution in Tokyo Bay. They appealed to residents to look out for the rogue penguin. There were dozens of sightings reported, but none turned out to be true.

Earlier this month, Penguin 337 appeared near Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge. The clip by the Coast Guard shows the bird happily splashing around in the waters, showing no signs of weakness. Directors at the Tokyo Sea Life Park confirmed it was theirs after they saw its facial patterns and a unique ring around its flipper.

The young creature remains in Tokyo Bay waters for now, but there are concerns about its long-term safety.  People are worried about radiation levels in the bay, a year after the meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

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