The Adélie penguin, affectionately named Pingu, is only the third of its kind ever discovered in New Zealand.
An Adélie penguin has made an extraordinary journey from Antarctica to New Zealand, travelling 3,000 km from its native home. This marks only the third time an Adélie penguin has been found on New Zealand’s shores, with previous sightings occurring in 1962 and 1993.
The penguin was spotted by Harry Singh, a local resident working at Birdlings Flat, a coastal settlement south of Christchurch. Singh was walking with his wife when they initially mistook the penguin for a toy, but it soon moved, revealing its true nature. “It didn’t move for an hour and looked exhausted,” Singh recalled. Concerned for its safety, Singh contacted local rescuers.
Thomas Stracke, a member of the Christchurch Penguin Rehabilitation team, and a veterinarian quickly responded to the scene. After confirming the penguin was an Adélie, native only to the Antarctic peninsula, they administered fluids as it appeared dehydrated and slightly underweight.
The penguin, affectionately named Pingu by the locals, was safely released on Banks Peninsula, an area free from dogs, where it can recover.
Professor Philip Seddon, a zoology expert from Otago University, remarked that while such a sighting is rare, it doesn’t yet signal any significant change in the marine ecosystem. However, he noted that a trend of such arrivals would warrant closer examination.
