Photo: Richard Gill/Department of Conservation

Here at AUIP we are accustomed to the excitement surrounding an emperor penguin sighting; wildlife spotting is one of the highlights on our Antarctica program and each year we receive many photos of a variety of penguin species in the natural landscape of Antarctica. However, we were not expecting the news and subsequent photos and videos from our own shores! The visitor who turned up on the North Island’s Kapiti Coast is only the second known emperor penguin to visit New Zealand shores.

The penguin is in good condition and has been making itself at home on the beach but it is expected if left alone the bird will eventually swim back out to sea. It is not unusual for animals from Antarctica to occasionally appear in New Zealand but the reason why is unknown.

Emperor penguins are the tallest and heaviest of all living penguin species. The male and female are similar in plumage and size, reaching 122 cm (48 in) in height and weighing anywhere from 22 to 45 kg (49 to 99 lb). Their diet consists primarily of fish, but can also include other creatures found in the oceans, such as squid. The emperor penguin is perhaps most well known for the sequence of journeys adults make each year in order to mate and to feed their offspring. It is the only penguin species that breeds during the Antarctic winter, and they will trek between 50–120 km (31–75 miles) over the ice to breeding colonies which may include thousands of individuals. Although this penguin may have a slightly longer trip this year! To see footage of this cute visitor check out this video provided by stuff.co.nz