Rare Antarctic penguin spotted in Petone, thousands of kilometres from frozen continent

The penguin was seen on Petone Beach in Lower Hutt over the weekend. Photo / Joss Debreceny

An Adelie penguin, native to Antarctica and some subantarctic islands thousands of kilometres away, was sighted roaming on Lower Hutt’s Petone Beach over the weekend.

A Department of Conservation (DoC) ranger confirmed the black-and-white penguin was reported on Saturday morning, near an area where people walk dogs.

“The penguin was spotted in the dog-walking area of Petone Beach, where she could have been at significant risk from curious or excitable pets,” said the ranger.

“Adelie penguins are a rare sight in Wellington, with their usual habitat being Antarctica and some subantarctic islands, although they have been known to arrive in New Zealand from time to time.”

The ranger thanked members of the public “who helped catch the bird” and was grateful “to the dog owners who put their dogs on leads and kept them away until we arrived to collect her”.

The bird has had a health check at Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo.

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Wellington Zoo said in a statement that the Adelie was admitted to the zoo’s hospital for veterinary assessment and was “bright and responsive but suffering from heat stress”.

“Our vet team is in the process of ensuring the Adelie is fully stabilised before performing a full health check under general anaesthetic when we will know more about their condition. For now, they are bright and responsive and enjoying a well-earned rest!”

The penguin was suffering from heat stress and has been given "plenty of ice" to stay cool. Photo / Wellington Zoo

The bird has a bit of a temper after its long journey from Antarctica to Wellington.

“They’re very beautiful and very aggressive! They are currently being held off display with plenty of ice to keep them comfortable,” the zoo said.

The Adelie penguin is undergoing a health check. Photo / Wellington Zoo

Antarctica New Zealand’s Adelie penguin Census said the bird was “the most widespread... in Antarctica”.

The Australian Antarctic Programme describes the birds as medium-sized, weighing 3kg to 6kg and about 70cm tall.

The Adelie penguin is the most widespread bird in Antarctica. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The Adelie is one of five species of penguins that live on the Antarctic continent and breed between October and February, during relatively warmer temperatures.

Another Adelie penguin was seen on St Clair Beach in Dunedin in January, and was due to spend time getting “fattened up” before being released back into the wild.

Azaria Howell is a Wellington-based multimedia reporter with an eye across the region. She joined NZME in 2022 and has a keen interest in city council decisions, public service agency reform and transport.