A little blue penguin caught crossing the runway at Wellington Airport. Photo: Wellington Airport / supplied
A flightless bird has been caught crossing the runway at Wellington Airport.
A spokesperson for the airport said the little blue penguin was spotted by an Air Chathams pilot waiting to take off on Friday, 12 January.
Wellington Airport wildlife officer Jack Howarth said the kororā, which had to be rescued, was in a less-than-impressed mood.
"Our runway sensors were reading 50C," making it no wonder the penguin was "not particularly happy".
Howarth said the penguin was rescued by Wellington Airport airside staff Alex McGregor and Kaleb Woodcock.
He said it was the first time a penguin had visited the airport.
"We think he may have wriggled under the fence, so we've done some penguin-proofing to keep our flippered friends out of trouble in future."
He said the space, under the airport's crashgates, was less than 100 millimetres in size.
"He must have been very determined though, because judging by the size of his little puku it must have been quite the squeeze to get under there."
Howarth said they were unsure how long the kororā had been exposed to sun without shelter, and decided to take him to The Nest at Wellington Zoo.
Wellington Airport landside services support officer Alex McGregor. Photo: Wellington Airport / supplied
"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."
Wellington Airport said Wellington Zoo had since advised them that the penguin was now doing fine, eating normally and hanging out in one of the dens at the animal hospital.
Wellington Zoo said the little blue penguin was around six weeks old when found, and only recently fledged.
"Though thin, hungry and a little underweight, the fledgling was otherwise in good health," the zoo said in a statement.
The zoo said kororā were known to live in natural nests at nearby Lyall Bay, and there was a high chance the fledgling simply got lost on their way home.
"During their stay at Te Kōhanga the Kororā underwent X-rays and blood work by our vet team to make sure they were indeed in good health. They also went on a weight gain diet that included lots of fish."
The zoo said the fledgling's adult feathers came in while at Te Kohanga, and the penguin was well on the road to recovery.
"The veterinary team at Te Kōhanga is waiting for the kororā's feathers to be waterproofed before releasing them back into the wild. The waterproofing of seabirds' feathers is a crucial step in their growth, as waterproof feathers ensure seabirds stay warm and dry when they're swimming for food."
The zoo said the penguin should be strong and old enough to be released into the wild in a couple of weeks.