Happy Feet (penguin)

An emperor penguin named Happy Feet arrived at Peka Peka Beach in the Kāpiti Coast District of New Zealand's North Island in June 2011 after travelling about 3,200 kilometres (2,000 mi) from Antarctica. He is one of the northernmost emperor penguins ever recorded outside of captivity, and the second emperor penguin to be found in New Zealand. After arriving, he ingested sand on the beach, likely mistaking it for snow, and filled his proventriculus with it. He soon became lethargic, dehydrated and overheated and was transported to Wellington Zoo, where he was given a 50 per cent chance of survival. Most of the sand was removed, and he was kept at the zoo for 10 weeks to recover.

Happy Feet was released in the Southern Ocean on 4 September 2011, about 78 kilometres (48 mi) north of Campbell Island, at the 51st parallel. He was fitted with a satellite transmitter to track his location, but the device ceased transmission on 9 September, possibly due to the transmitter falling off or the penguin being preyed upon.

Named after the 2006 animated film Happy Feet which features emperor penguins, the bird's arrival and recovery was reported on by more than 600 media outlets worldwide. The event raised the public's awareness of wildlife, and for some time received more media attention than New Zealand prime minister John Key. Happy Feet was one of Time's runner-ups for the 2011 Animal of the Year. He was also the subject of a children's book written by Christine Wilton, who first sighted the penguin at the beach, and another children's book published by Penguin Books in late 2011.