WARNING: The following story has high-levels of cute, you may be prone to spontaneously shrieking “Kawaii!“
The bond between people and their domesticated pets is an unshakable on, one that is built on trust and love. But could the same bond exist between a person and a wild animal? You bet your butt it can, just ask Joao Pereira de Souza and his penguin BFF Jinjing.
de Souza is 71 year old retired brick layer, and in 2011 came upon the South American Magellanic Penguin covered in oil and on death’s door. de Souza immediately recused Jinjing, cleaned him up and nursed him back to health. The cute little critter was quite taken with his human pal and stayed with him for 11 months. When he finally decided to leave Jinjing returned the following year to hang out and has done so every year since.
Jinjing makes an 8000 km journey to return to the coast of South-East Brazil to chill with his boy Joao for several months at a time before heading back into the ocean to make his way to his penguin breeding ground.
Speaking to Globo TV, de Souza said “I love the penguin like it’s my own child and I believe the penguin loves me. No one else is allowed to touch him. He pecks them if they do. He lays on my lap, lets me give him showers, allows me to feed him sardines and to pick him up.”
First seen on Bored Panda.
