The baby bird was brought into The Nest – Te Kōhanga animal hospital and centre for native wildlife care – by a member of the community after he had become separated from his family in the Lyall Bay suburb of Wellington.
Vets at the Zoo found nothing medically wrong with him, so provided basic antifungal and preventative care – as well as feeding him with lots of fish – during his stay.
Although the little visitor has proved highly popular, the vet team at The Nest hope his arrival does not signal the start of an influx of blue penguin being brought into the hospital over the next few months.
“The summer is a dangerous time for wild blue penguins in New Zealand as they are liable to venture out onto roads in suburban areas,” says Lisa Argilla, Resident in Avian, Zoo Animal & Wildlife Health at Wellington Zoo.
“We would advise motorists to be extra vigilant at this time of year, especially wherever they see the penguin crossing road signs. Thankfully, our little friend was unharmed when he arrived here, and we hope to be able to release him back into the wild as soon as it is safe to do so.
“I think everyone here will miss him when he leaves, as he’s been a real breath of fresh air ever since his arrival.”
The blue penguin is the 15th native wild animal to be treated by the vets at The Nest since the $6 million state-of-the-art facility opened its doors on 5 December 2009.
The NZ Lottery Grants Board contributed $400,000 towards the new hospital for the protection and enhancement of wildlife.
