If you ever needed proof that this world is a beautiful, heart-warming place, then here it is:
Dindim the penguin swims 5,000 miles each year to see his friend – the 71 year old fisherman from Brazil who saved his life. (Now you have no excuse for not seeing your mate who lives ‘aaaaall the way’ in zone 5).
It all started four years ago, when Joao Pereira de Souza found the penguin dying on a beach near his home. He quickly cleaned his oil-stained feathers, fed him fish and nursed him back to tip-top health. One week later, the penguin was better, so Mr de Souza tried to wave goodbye to his pointy beaked pal, and release him back into wild.
Dindim was having none of it and stayed with the man for 11 months.
He now spends 8 months of the year hanging out with the Mr de Souza on the beach and the rest of the time breeding off the coast of Argentina and Chile. The journey is estimated to be around 5,00 miles, which is truly remarkable.
‘I love the penguin like it’s my own child and I believe the penguin loves me,’ Mr de Souza said in the NY Post,
“No one else is allowed to touch him. He pecks them if they do. He lays on my lap, lets me give him showers, allows me to feed him sardines and to pick him up.”
Biologist Joao Paulo Krajewski, during an interview for Globo TV, said: 'I have never seen anything like this before. I think the penguin believes Joao is part of his family and probably a penguin as well.
'When he sees him he wags his tail like a dog and honks with delight.'
This video will give you all the feels:
Happy Thursday!
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.