# Penguin rescue and rehabilitation in South America

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/penguin-rescue-and-rehabilitation-in-south-america
> Updated: 2026-09-03T22:08:07.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 3.

Wildlife organizations in Brazil and Argentina are conducting rescue, rehabilitation, and release operations for various penguin species.

In Brazil, Instituto Albatroz rescued 20 Magellanic penguins stranded on beaches in the Rio de Janeiro region, transporting them to a rehabilitation and de-petrolisation centre. Concurrently, the R3 Animal association released 15 rehabilitated penguins in Florianópolis after they received two months of care for exhaustion and malnutrition following migration from Patagonia.

In Argentina, Fundación Mundo Marino has conducted several release operations. In San Clemente del Tuyú, the foundation released six penguins—four Magellanic and two rockhopper (crested) penguins—after they completed rehabilitation. The Magellanic penguins had been entangled in artisanal fishing nets, with some requiring sutures for flipper cuts and one suffering a partial loss of its right flipper. The rockhopper penguins, found in the Mar de Ajó and Faro Querandí areas, required specialized cleaning to treat oil on their plumage, as well as care for malnutrition and dehydration. To facilitate reintegration into the wild, the foundation waited to release the animals as a group.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-03: Fundación Mundo Marino releases six rescued penguins

Six penguins rescued from fishing nets and oil pollution have been released into the sea in San Clemente del Tuyú following rehabilitation by the Fundación Mundo Marino.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/fundacin-mundo-marino-releases-six-rescued-penguins

### 2026-08-28: Fundación Mundo Marino releases six rescued penguins in Argentina

Six penguins, including Magellanic and macaroni species, were released into the Argentine sea after being rehabilitated for fishing net entanglement and oil pollution by Fundación Mundo Marino.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/fundacin-mundo-marino-releases-six-rescued-penguins-in-argentina

### 2026-08-02: Instituto Albatroz and R3 Animal rescue and release of Magellanic penguins in Brazil

Brazilian NGOs Instituto Albatroz and R3 Animal rescued and rehabilitated Magellanic penguins in Rio de Janeiro and Florianópolis, releasing 15 back to sea after treatment.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/instituto-albatroz-and-r3-animal-rescue-and-release-of-magellanic-penguins-in-brazil

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Cite as: Penguin rescue and rehabilitation in South America. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/penguin-rescue-and-rehabilitation-in-south-america