Melbourne, Australia — The only emperor penguin known to have swum from Antarctica to Australia was released at sea 20 days after he waddled ashore on a popular tourist beach, officials said Friday.

A mysterious cylinder that washed ashore in Western Australia is debris from an Indian space launch, authorities in both countries have said, ending a flurry of speculation over the object’s origin.

Session ID: 2025-07-26:8171b0f98c1297955ccffb8 Player Element ID: vjs_video_3 ... The emperor penguin, pictured on Ocean Beach near Denmark, Western Australia Credit: Supplied by DBCA via CNN ...

The last time so many false killer whales were stranded in Tasmania was 50 years ago in June 1974 when a pod of 160 to 170 were found at Black River beach on the island’s northern coast.

Beach shacks have a distinctive identity as emblems of summer holidays and unadorned simplicity. Yet, their history also reflects the complexity of Australians’ attachment to the beach.