Joao Pereira de Souza, 71, a retired bricklayer and part time fisherman, has an unusual friend. Every year, without fail, a penguin comes to visit him. Why? Because Joao saved the penguin's life.
The incident took place in 2011, in an island village in Brazil. Joao found the penguin, now affectionately known as Dindim, stranded on the shoreline, close to death and covered in oil.
Joao cleaned him up and fed him until he was strong enough to make it on his own. When he seemed well enough, he attempted to release the penguin back into the sea. But little Dindim was having none of it.
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Joao told Metro: "He stayed with me for 11 months and then, just after he changed his coat with new feathers, he disappeared."
A few months later, the penguin was back. This is now a five-year routine for the pair, with Dindim spending eight months a year with his new pal and (presumably) spending the other four breeding off the coast of Argentina and Chile.
This means the penguin swims roughly 5,000 miles each year to be reunited with his mate.
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Pals forever.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: penguins