An emperor penguin was seen roaming a beach in Western Australia

We support our Publishers and Content Creators. You can view this story on their website by CLICKING HERE.

Can you imagine chilling on the beach in Australia and out of nowhere a flippin’ emperor penguin stops by to say hello?

That’s what happened to this family who ran into the flightless bird down in Western Australia where it was apparently on holiday.

He’s just hangin’ out on the beach. Like he owns it. Not a care in the world.

The adult male was found on Nov. 1 on a popular tourist beach in the town of Denmark in temperate southwest Australia — about 2,200 miles north of the icy waters off the Antarctic coast, according to a statement from the Western Australia state’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

The largest penguin species has never been reported in Australia before, University of Western Australia research fellow Belinda Cannell said, though some had reached New Zealand, Australia’s neighbor almost entirely south of Denmark. It is believed to be the furthest north — and thus the furthest from their natural habitat — that a wild emperor penguin has ever been spotted.

This image won’t do it justice, but here’s how far away this penguin was from his habitat.

I think some of us men can relate to going on a quick jaunt, clearing our heads, and getting away from others for a little bit. But this penguin serves as an inspiration for the ultimate hermit’s journey.

And, given how fast he walks …

This was one heck of a trek.

A surfer named Aaron Fowler was the first to see the penguin on the beach and his story cracked me up.

‘It stood up in the waves and just waddled straight up to us, an emperor penguin, he was probably about a meter high, and he was not shy at all,’ Fowler told ABC.

‘There is always a bit of wildlife in the water but never a penguin,’ he said. ‘He tried to do like, a slide … on his belly, thinking it was snow I guess, and just face-planted in the sand and stood up and shook all the sand off.‘

University of Western Australia researchers have the penguin safe now. He was a little malnourished, being outside his habitat, so they are working on rehabbing him.

It’s unknown if he will ever be returned to his home in Antarctica.