Loyal Penguin Travels Hundreds of Miles to Repeatedly Visit the Brazilian Man Who Saved Him

In 2015, the Wall Street Journal posted a wonderfully heartwarming video about a retired bricklayer named Joao Pereira de Souza who lives off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the unusual friend who visits him every year from colder Patagonian climes. The visitor is a fiercely loyal Magellanic penguin named Jinjin whom de Souza rescued from an oil spill on the beach four years ago. Ever since that time, love between bird and man has become more and more mutual. de Souza spoke with the Wall Street Journal about how Jinjin behaves when he returns.

When he returns he’s so happy to see me. ..he comes up to my neck and hoots. …He’s jealous for me…He doesn’t let any dog or cat near me or else he goes after them and pecks. …I never saw a critter get so attached. ….You can let him go wherever you want, but he’ll come right back.

via The Independent