A malnourished emperor penguin found far from its Antarctic home on the Australian south coast is being cared for by a wildlife expert, a government department said.

The adult male was found on November 1 on a popular tourist beach in the town of Denmark in temperate south-west Australia — about 2,200 miles north of the icy waters off the Antarctic coast, according to the Western Australia state’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

The largest penguin species has never been reported in Australia before, University of Western Australia research fellow Belinda Cannell said – though some had reached New Zealand, nearly all of which is further south than Western Australia.

Australian Emperor Penguin
The penguin was discovered on a beach near Denmark, Australia (Miles Brotherson/DBCA via AP)

Ms Cannell said she had no idea why the penguin travelled to Denmark.

She is advising seabird rehabilitator Carol Biddulph who is caring for the penguin, spraying him with a chilled water mist to help him cope with his alien climate. The penguin is one metre (3.28ft) tall and initially weighed 23kg (51lbs).

A healthy male can weigh more than 45kg (100lbs).

Australia Emperor Penguin
The animal is thousands of miles from its normal habitat on Antarctica (DBCA via AP)

The department said its efforts were focused on rehabilitating the penguin.

Asked if the penguin could potentially be returned to Antarctica, the department replied that “options are still being worked through”.