Pingu the penguin found 3,000 km from Antarctic home
A penguin has been found, starving and exhausted, in New Zealand — over 3,000 kilometres from its Antarctic habitat.
The Adelie penguin, nicknamed “Pingu” by locals, was discovered on the South Island.
Scientists have warned that global warming could make this epic voyage more common for the birds as they search for fish. Adelies can travel up to 300 km for a meal, but not 3,000.
Harry Singh, who found the bird, thought it was a “soft toy” at first. “It did not move for one hour.”
He called rescuers to take it to safety. Pingu, 70 cm tall, perked up after taking in some fluids and a fish smoothie, and was released back into the water.
Prof. Philip Seddon at Otago University said that “all species of penguin are like marine sentinels ... canaries in coal mines — an early signal that things are not good.”