A kororā penguin required surgery to close a deep infected wound on his neck. Photo / Wellington Zoo
A little blue penguin remains in critical condition after undergoing surgery for a wound that appears to have been caused by a predator attack or discarded fishing line.
The kororā was found by a member of the public on Wellington’s South Coast at Moa Point yesterday.
The penguin was then taken to The Nest Te Kōhanga at Wellington Zoo’s vet hospital.
A Wellington Zoo spokesperson said he was emaciated and very dehydrated, with a deep infected wound on his neck.
“The wound appears to have been caused by a predator attack or discarded fishing line. The kororā underwent surgery at The Nest today to remove dead tissue and close the wound back together.”
The penguin remains in a critical condition and is being cared for and monitored closely by the veterinary team at The Nest.
“Our hope is always to treat and rehabilitate injured native wildlife so that they are able to be released back to their wild homes,” the spokesperson said.
Kororā are vulnerable and face a number of threats in the wild.
Wellington Zoo wanted to remind people there were things they could do to help protect these precious native birds, the spokesperson said.
“Drive slowly around the coast to avoid hitting kororā that are returning home from gathering food, keep your dogs on a leash when on or near the coast and keep your cats safe and happy at home.”
In 2016, another little blue penguin was found in the same area in a thin and weak state.
The penguin was in the process of moulting, which is one of the most energy-consuming periods in a bird’s year.
It was also taken to The Nest, where it completed its moult, regained its waterproofing and went from weighing 850 grams to a healthy 1.3 kilograms.
The vet team fed the penguin 130-150g of cut salmon twice a day and gave it fluids for dehydration.
It was successfully released along the coastline of Moa Point after recovering.
Police could be seen cordoning off a street in the area.