Dindim: a story of loyalty and friendship between a man and a penguin (6 photos)

Imagine: you live an ordinary life on the ocean shore, doing your usual things, and suddenly one day you find a small, exhausted penguin on the beach. You help him, feed him, take care of him, and then release him into the sea. And suddenly, after a few months, he comes back. Again and again. Year after year.





Dindim

This is a true story that happened in Brazil. Fisherman João Pereira de Souza and a penguin named Dindim became friends, despite the fact that one is a man and the other is a wild animal. How is this possible? Let's figure it out.

Who are Magellanic penguins

Magellanic penguins are true travelers. They live off the coasts of Argentina, Chile, and the Falkland Islands, and when winter comes, they swim far north in search of warm waters and abundant food. Unlike their Antarctic counterparts, they prefer a temperate climate, but still depend on the ocean and coastal ecosystems. These penguins are smart, curious, and able to remember people if they once turned out to be important to them.



Dindim

Who is João Pereira de Souza

João Pereira de Souza is a retired bricklayer who moved to Ilha Grande, a small village on the coast. There, life went on as usual: quiet evenings, fishing, leisurely conversations with neighbors. This place, surrounded by wild nature, seemed ideal for a secluded retirement. But it was here that an encounter took place that changed not only his life, but also the life of one little penguin.





Dindim and João Pereira de Souza

First meeting

One day, João noticed a strange black spot on the beach among the sand and seaweed. Coming closer, he realized that it was not just garbage - it was a small penguin, covered in oil, dehydrated and barely breathing. The fisherman picked it up and brought it home.



It took several days to clean the feathers, feed and get the unexpected guest back on his feet. Dindim, as João called him, was scared at first, but gradually got used to the care and even began to follow his savior around the yard.

However, no matter how long he lived with João, it was clear: the penguin was not a pet. When Dindim was fully recovered, the fisherman took him far out to sea on a boat and released him. The penguin swam a little, looked around the ocean and... swam away.

And when João returned home, he could not believe his eyes - Dindim was waiting for him near the house.

Friendship between a man and a penguin

A few months passed like this. The penguin behaved like a pet: he followed João around, jumped up and down with joy when he was petted, and even got jealous if the fisherman picked up other animals.



Dindim and João Pereira de Souza

By February 2012, Dindim had already gotten stronger, and João decided to release him a second time. This time, the penguin did not return. This could have been the end of the story, but the story had an amazing continuation.

Dindim did not forget his savior

A year later, Dindim swam back! And this happened for four years in a row. Dindim swam in July, and lived in João's yard until February. Then he swam away.

The last meeting took place in 2015. In 2016, the penguin did not return, as in the following years. Why? Perhaps he found a mate and had offspring.

Or maybe he simply followed his flock to a new place, obeying instincts. Or maybe age or changes in the environment played a role.



The path that Dindim swam for 5 years from the places where he met his relatives to the wintering place in the yard of the house of João Pereira de Souza

The moral of this story? There is no special moral. Just a reminder that even a small good deed can change someone's life. Even if it is the life of a penguin.