Lost Penguin in New Zealand

2011/06/22 Kortabitarte Egiguren, Irati - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Zoologia

How has this Antarctic penguin come to New Zealand? The Antarctic based Penguin has been discovered these days on a New Zealand beach for the first time in the last 40 years.

On the coast of Kapitiko, north of Wellington, on Monday they saw the penguin 3000 kilometers from his residence. It seems healthy. The New Zealand authorities are unaware of the reason for the arrival of animals from Antarctica to these shores, but have advised that the sea bird remain in peace. And they believe that soon he will go to the sea and return to his place of residence.

This did not happen since 1967. One of those penguins then appeared on Oregi Beach on the South Island.

The emperor penguin is one of the largest penguins in the world, has a meter in length and a mass of more than 30 kilograms. It can last ten minutes and reach a depth of 450 meters.

Image courtesy of: Richard Gill