Little blue penguin's lucky escape from fishing line in Napier

Hawke's Bay fishers are being urged to take great care after a rescued kororā/little blue penguin almost lost its leg when it became entangled piece of fishing line.

The penguin was rescued by the Hawke's Bay Bird and Wildlife Rescue near Ahuriri, in Napier, over the weekend after a fisherman noticed it had a piece of fishing wire caught around its right leg.

"It was like a tourniquet - it was strangling his leg," wildlife officer Liv Flynn said.

Having been alerted to the injured penguin by the Department of Conservation, she attempted to remove the line on the scene but could see that it was cutting into the leg and decided to take it to the experts for help instead.

The penguin was anaesthetised to avoid stress while the fishing line was removed. Photo / Supplied

"It was a race against time.

"If we'd left it overnight or even for a few more hours he would have lost the leg and probably had to be euthanised."

A penguin with a missing leg wouldn't be able to swim in the wild, she explained.

She rushed the penguin to Taradale Veterinary Hospital where they were able to remove the fishing line, and give the penguin fluids and pain relief.

It was a relatively unusual case for veterinarian Paige Simpson who said she'd only treated a few penguins in her career.

"For this bird the aim was to get the wire off as quickly as possible."

Simpson said there was the risk of permanent damage if it had been kept on any longer.

The penguin was anaesthetised to avoid stress while the fishing line was removed.

"He's a very lucky little penguin."

Hawke's Bay Bird and Wildlife Rescue wildlife officer Liv Flynn with the nylon fishing line the penguin was caught in. Photo / Supplied

After assessing the leg the next day, Flynn made the call to release the penguin back into the wild where he was found.

"Seabirds heal really well in the wild," she said.

She said he was a "very lucky" penguin and not all entangled birds were as fortunate, with the rescue group receiving about two calls a week.

"We've come across quite a few severe cases of entanglement. It's a big problem."