Now Dindim(Jinjing on other reports) swims thousands of miles to spend eight months out of the year with his buddy, renewing everyone’s faith in the deep connection we share with animals.
In March of 2011, de Souza, a widower and a retired bricklayer, found the dying bird on a beach in the fishing village of Ilha Grande island. The man raises chicken as his primary source of living.
With a little help from fishermen in the village, de Souza fed Jinjing sardines everyday. He also shared his small shanty with the migratory bird, and when it finally regained its strength, de Souza decided to set it free.
So it sure looked like the bird had no intention of ever forgetting the man. Hence, the amazing friendship between de Souza and Jinjing continued. The two would often stroll along the beach, swim or even converse in the ‘penguinese’ language which only the two could understand.
Biologist Joao Paulo Krajewski, who interviewed Mr Pereira de Souza 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.’
De Souza says: “When he returns, he’s so happy to see me, and he comes up to my neck and hoots.”
The villagers are astounded at the rare bond between de Souza and Jinjing — who has since been the village mascot.
“It spends 10, 12, 15 days away and then comes back to the same house,” says fisherman Mário Castro. “It’s an incredible thing, huh?”
Dimdim is a Magellanic penguin which is known for migrating thousands of miles near Patagonia breeding colonies up to the northern part. It is believed to swim around 5,000 miles to go back to his friend fora visit.
Even de Souza’s daughter who lives in Rio de Janeiro, Mery Alves, said it has become difficult for them to convince her father to come and visit them in the city as he would always worry a lot about his friend not having enough sardines to eat.
“We call him and tell him to visit and he says, ‘OK, OK,’ ” Mery said. “But then he doesn’t. It’s like a son to him.”
It is a story of deep friendship, indeed.
Source: (FILIPINOTIMES.AE)