An Emperor penguin bound for Antarctica has ended up on a beach in New Zealand, 2,000 miles away. How it happened is quite obvious, scientists say: The Penguin, looking for food, headed in the wrong direction — and kept going. The species is known for being able to spend long periods of time at sea, needing to come ashore only to rest or to molt.
Experts think that the penguin, which is nearly 3 feet tall, is about 10 months old and is probably happy to be on land again. The penguin ended up on Peka Peka Beach, up the Kapiti Coast a bit from the capital, Wellington, and was the first Emperor penguin seen there in the wild in since 1967.Winter is approaching in New Zealand, so the penguin probably thinks it's a bit warm but not too hot, scientists say. However, they also say, the penguin probably needs to get moving again in a few weeks if it's to get home again safely.
For now, the scientists, confident that the penguin can quench its thirst by drinking saltwater, are happy to let nature take its course. They are, naturally, keeping people and other animals away from the scene.
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