Fiordland crested penguins recuperating at Wellington Zoo

Two rare Fiordland crested penguins are getting the VIP treatment at Wellington Zoo, after being rescued from the West Coast.

The two injured penguins are being treated by the Zoo's hospital The Nest Te Kohanga, with help from the West Coast Penguin Trust and the Department of Conservation.

Senior veterinarian Baukje Lenting said the birds were very lucky to be found by locals who cared enough to get them help.

"Gonzo was brought in with a large abdominal wound and a broken bone in her chest area, and we are not sure what caused her injuries.

"She is healing well and we are hopeful that she will soon be able to be released back onto the West Coast.

"Henry came to us with an eye injury. This was potentially quite a serious injury as Tawaki can't hunt with the use of only one eye.

"We've asked an opthamologist to come in and examine Harry's eye, and the prognosis is looking better than we first suspected.

"Harry is expected to make a full recovery and will be able to be restored to the wild near where he was found."

Lenting said both penguins were already showing signs of recovery through their healthy appetites, building their strength by guzzling down up to 600g of fish a day.

The rescue effort is part of Wellington Zoo's conservation partnership with the West Coast Penguin Trust, which pledges to save nationally vulnerable wild animals.

Trust spokeswoman Inger Perkins said the zoo provided research grants as well as care for these types of rescue missions.

"We look forward to welcoming Gonzo and Harry back to their natural habitat soon."