Landlubbing sea bird refuses to swim
OLIVIA CARVILLE
27/05/2011
JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON
LANDLUBBER: Morgan, a white-flippered penguin and resident of the International Antarctic Centre, doesn't like to swim.
Morgan the penguin simply doesn't want to swim.
The white-flippered penguin is about 16-years-old and was found skinny and lost at Flea Bay, Banks Peninsula about three weeks ago.
Now in quarantine at Christchurch's International Antarctic Centre, Morgan is the first penguin staff have ever seen that refuses to swim.
When placed in water Morgan uses his beak and flippers to quickly haul himself out.
"This is a really unusual penguin. It is the first time we have ever seen a mature penguin that has come in from the wild and simply refuses to swim," said centre director Richard Benton.
Morgan also has a unique habit of flipping his water bowl upside down and standing on it, Benton said.
Penguin keeper Mallorie Hackett said Morgan was "full of character" and was "definitely a ladies man".
In 25 days' time he will be introduced to the centre's main penguin encounter, where Hackett hopes he will befriend Parnia, a single female white-flippered penguin.
White-flippered penguins are one of the smallest and most endangered penguins in the world.
They are endemic to Canterbury, breeding only on Banks Peninsula and Motonau Island.
- The Press
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