Lost juvenile Emperor penguin a long way from home
June 2011. Locals in New Zealand were very surprised to find a 1 metre tall penguin on a North Island beach as the largest resident penguins in New Zealand, yellow-eyed penguins, grow to a maximum of just 65 centimetres.
Residents of New Zealands Kapiti Coast realised that they have been treated to a rare visit by an emperor penguin. There is only one other recording of an emperor penguin in New Zealand, at Southland's Oreti Beach in 1967.
Stay clear of the penguin
New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC) advises that people should not disturb the penguin and ensure that dogs are kept on leads in the area. Penguins can give vicious bites if they feel threatened. If left alone it is expected and hoped that the bird will eventually swim back out to sea.
It is not known why these birds that reside in the Antarctic would visit New Zealand shores.
DOC biodiversity spokesperson Peter Simpson said" It's amazing to see one of these penguins on the Kapiti Coast. Unusual animals from the Antarctic sometimes visit our shores, but we really don't know why".
Department of Conservation staff were first alerted by Kapiti resident Christine Wilton who was walking her dog on Monday afternoon at Peka Peka Beach.
"I saw this glistening white thing standing up and I thought I was seeing things," Ms Wilton said.
She contacted DOC's Waikanae office and rangers went to investigate. They saw what looked like a big white ball in the sand. It stood up, looking quite relaxed and in good condition. It was later confirmed that the majestic visitor is a juvenile emperor penguin standing at about 1 metre tall.
World's largest penguins
Emperor penguins are the largest penguins, adults reaching more than a metre tall and weighing up to 30kg. They feed on fish, krill, squid and a wide range of marine invertebrates and hold the diving record at 450 metres deep and 11 minutes underwater.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/emperor-penguin-nz.html
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