Hurrah! Happy Feet the penguin (probably) alive after all

AP

Animal lovers all over the world were left bitterly disappointed when news emerged that Happy Feet the 'lost' penguin - who swam 3,000 miles the wrong way and ended up on a beach in New Zealand - had likely been eaten by a killer whale.

But now (phew!), experts believe the emperor penguin is, in fact, probably still alive.

Happy Feet was found wandering on Peka Peka Beach in Wellington and, after months of treatment at Wellington Zoo, was released back into the Southern Ocean on 4 September, with a transmitter strapped to his back to track his progress.

Everyone feared the worst when his transmissions fell silent this week, speculating that he may have been eaten by a killer whale.

And now, a penguin expert from Massey University believes it is more likely the transmitter simply fell off.

Associate Professor John Cockrem, from the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, told the New Zealand Herald: 'Of the natural predators, leopard seals would be far further south, around the Antarctic continent, at this time.

'I also think the chances of meeting an orca are pretty small.

'It is most likely the transmitter has fallen off, and it is highly likely Happy Feet is still alive.'

Huge sighs of relief all round, then. And hopefully we'll be reporting the news that he makes it back to Antarctica soon...