Lost Antarctic penguin found in New Zealand
The emperor penguin named “Happy Feet” stands in his container aboard NIWA’s research vessel Tangaroa, at Burnham Wharf on August 29, 2011 in Wellington, New Zealand.
A lost Antarctic penguin has turned up over a year later–and 1,250 miles away. The penguin has been dubbed Happy Feet Junior, named after the original Happy Feet who was found stranded in 2011 (who in turn was named after the 2006 animated penguin film). Happy Feet Junior was found Tora beach Sunday in New Zealand, BBC News reported.
But this story doesn't yet have a happy ending. "He's probably left Macquarie in February last year and been caught in a current as he's been feeding and ended up here," Wellington Zoo surgeon Lisa Argilla told Agence France Presse.
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"He's in terrible condition, absolutely emaciated with his kidneys not functioning. Hopefully we can reverse that, feed him up and bring him back to good health but it's touch and go at the moment."
Argilla added in an interview with Television New Zealand:"Something's happened out at sea, he's not found enough food."
If he recovers, he'll be returned to Antarctica, the BBC says.
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