After rescuing and returning a penguin to the wild, a man makes an unlikely friend.

A retired bricklayer rescued a Magellanic penguin that had washed ashore on a Brazilian beach, drenched in oil. Joo Pereira de Souza, a 71-year-old widower, washed the ailing bird, gave him sardines, and returned him to the water.

The penguin was supposed to swim away and rejoin his flock, but it refused to leave Joo’s side. That was in 2011, and the two have since become great friends.

The penguin, named Jingjing, swims away in February, but he always returns in the Spring to Joo’s seaside shack, where he spends the following eight months with his human buddy. The bird adores his owner so much that he won’t let any other animals near him!

Tens of thousands of adults and juveniles are killed each year owing to oil leaks, making Magellanic penguins a “threatened species.” Because of Joo’s benevolence, Jingjing was spared this destiny.

Watch the pair’s incredible story of friendship in the video below and share it with your friends!