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Happy Feet
The Lost Emperor pengiun that landed on our beach
Under a clear blue sky, local Christine Wilton’s stroll along Peka Peka Beach on the morning of June 21 2011, was about to set off conservation phenomenon that has grabbed headlines around the world. Christine happened upon a penguin that when it stood, came up to her chest height. She quickly contacted the local Department of Conservation (DOC) Manager and described the thing she had seen as “looking like an emperor”. He arrived to find what was indeed a large, apparently contented, juvenile male emperor penguin, whose poor sense of direction sparked debates about animal welfare and the ethics of mankind intervening with nature. He should have been about 1000km further south. Initially there was no need to intervene, he was upright during the day and swimming at night. Word quickly spread and people came from all over the country to see Happy Feet… so named after the Holywood animation film about emperor penguins.
However, a few days on it became obvious Happy Feet was anything but happy. He had stopped playing in the surf and was spotted eating sand, in the same way penguins in Antarctica eat snow to cool down and rehydrate. The bird’s behaviour changed and with the world watching public pressure was mounting for something to be done. But how to take a bird used to the Southern Ocean and chilling temperatures in to care? Expert advice was for non-intervention and to let him die...but that view was not shared by the fired up public. A decision was made and Happy Feet was removed from Peka Peka Beach to Wellington Zoo. Experts from far afield came to help, as well as television news crews. A special air-conditioned room was made ready, and ice – lots of ice.
Slowly Happy Feet recovered…it was lengthy and painstaking and every minute recorded. His care was costly…he was full of sand and small sticks and he survived many anaesthetics to flush him out. An advisory group was formed and while releasing him would mean a lifetime battle against the Antarctic elements, keeping Happy Feet at the zoo was not an option as penguins are colony birds. So the emphasis was on getting him well and a plan hatched to release him in the Southern Ocean. But this was not going to be easy with no records or statistics on success rates of releasing emperor penguins.
In the end, Happy Feet himself was ready to go…his behaviour changed and he became grumpy and aggressive with his caregivers as he clearly pined for the ocean. The Tangaroa Ship was selected to carry him and his caregivers back to the wild. He was fitted with a tracking device to his feathers, which would hopefully last until he next moulted. He would slide down a tarpauline-covered ramp into the choppy southern seas.
So, Happy Feet the emperor penguin that captured the hearts of New Zealanders and the world, was released on 4th September 49 miles north of Campbell Island back into the Southern Ocean, off NIWA’s largest research vessel, Tangaroa. In the end his caregivers had to give Happy Feet a push down the ‘hydro-slide’ in to the sea. The team onboard were all out on deck to farewell their special passenger and everyone was glad to see him returned to his natural environment.
Happy Feet headed steadily south after his release and will provide scientists with valuable insight into the whereabouts and movements of young emperor penguins. In Kapiti a special project is underway to create a lasting legacy to our famous and much loved emperor penguin Happy Feet. A life-size sculpture will greet visitors to Coastlands Aquatic Centre with great care being taken by its creator to capture Happy Feet's particular markings and personality.