An emperor penguin, which ended up on an Australian beach, was set free back into the Southern Ocean after a 20-day recovery period during which it gained weight and improved its health, as reported by officials.

“It was great to meet you, but now it’s time to say goodbye,” the Parks and Wildlife Service of Western Australia posted on Facebook to announce the penguin’s release.

The attractive emperor penguin, named Gus, was found on Ocean Beach in Denmark, a town in Western Australia, on November 1, according to the Government of Western Australia’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

On November 20, after receiving care for 20 days and gaining 7.71 pounds, Gus was released “with the supervision of a veterinarian and a wildlife officer,” stated the department in a news release.

His caretakers, Carol Biddulph and her husband Graham, were present on the boat that transported him back to the ocean for his release.

How Far Did Gus Travel?

Typically, penguins can take foraging trips lasting up to a month and covering distances of about 994 miles (or 1,600 kilometers), as noted by the department.

Biddulph had previously mentioned in an interview facilitated by the department that Gus appeared underweight and she could see his spine when she discovered him on the sand.

Incredibly, Gus traveled more than double the expected distance, and his unexpected arrival at the Australian beach, which is roughly 2,100 miles from Antarctica, is noted as the northernmost sighting of an emperor penguin to date.