Little Lost Penguin Halts Flights at New Zealand Airport

The little penguin, nicknamed "Manu" on the runway of Wellington Airport. Courtesy of Wellington International Airport

While preparing for takeoff, a pilot in New Zealand spotted a rare surprise on the airport runway, causing flight delays until the visitor was scooped up and transported to the zoo for recovery.

Known to be the world’s smallest penguin species, the kororā, a little blue penguin, was found waddling in front of Air Chathams flight 521.

The pilot and passengers patiently waited as Wellington International Airport staff hurried to scoop up the bird, which reportedly appeared dishevelled.

“Our runway sensors were reading 50 degrees at the time, so it’s no wonder they were not particularly happy!” said Wellington Airport’s Wildlife Officer, Jack Howarth.

“We think he may have wriggled under the fence so we’ve done some penguin proofing to our fences to keep our flippered friends out of trouble in future.”

The flight schedule experienced a delay of around 20 minutes.

Wellington Zoo said the bird likely ventured from their natural nests in Lyall Bay. It was a young hatchling that had recently learned to travel and had probably gotten lost on the way home.

“Only 6 weeks when found, the fledgling was hungry and a little underweight, but otherwise healthy,” said a spokesperson from Wellington Zoo on Jan. 26.

“During their stay at [the zoo], the kororā was put on a weight gain diet with LOTS of yummy fish. Our vets did some x-rays and blood work to make sure this precious penguin was okay.”

“Well on the road to recovery, as soon as their feathers are waterproofed, the kororā will be ready for release back into the wild.”

‘Extremely Rare’ Encounter

The penguin encounter in broad daylight is a highly unusual sight, according to Mr. Howarth.

“Our sensors pick up lots of things, but not penguins—they are extremely rare, and in this case, it was a pilot who spotted the intruder,” he said.

“We were unsure how long they’d been exposed to the sun without shelter, so I thought it best to take him to the Nest at Wellington Zoo as they’ve helped us with recovery of other wildlife in the past.

“They happily took him in to cool down and monitor for any further issues.”

Manu the blue penguin was rescued from Wellington Airport during a heatwave. Courtesy of Wellington International Airport

Little penguins are more likely to be seen in sheltered harbours and inlets, and usually only come onshore at night, according to New Zealand’s Department of Conservation.

The birds were common in the country, but consider the population vulnerable and “declining,” as most have relocated to offshore islands to avoid disturbance from coastal development, clearance of nesting sites, and predators.