The penguin was spotted walking along the busy road at night on 19 July, far from her natural coastal habitat. Concerned members of the public contacted Hunter Wildlife Rescue volunteers, who quickly stepped in to ensure her safety and transported her to Taronga Wildlife Hospital in Sydney. 

On arrival, Taronga’s veterinary team found she was underweight and dehydrated, and was given fluids, a full health check, and placed into the zoo’s wildlife marine rehabilitation aviary to help her regain strength and restore waterproofing on her feathers, essential for survival in the wild.

“She was in a vulnerable state when she came to us, but with the right care and time in our wildlife rehabilitation pools, she’s made a fantastic recovery,” said Lauren Sumner, Veterinary Nurse at Taronga Wildlife Hospital. “Releasing her back into the ocean after 5-weeks in our care was a truly special moment and incredibly rewarding for our team.” 

The Little Penguin was released on Curl Curl Beach in Sydney’s Northern Beaches on Monday 25 August, giving her the best chance to reconnect with wild populations. 

Little Penguins are the smallest penguin species in the world, growing to just 30cm tall and weighing around 1kg. They are the only penguin species to breed on the Australian mainland, with colonies found along the southern and eastern coasts, including NSW’s only mainland colony at Manly in Sydney Harbour. 

These charismatic seabirds face growing threats from habitat loss, pollution, and predation by introduced predators and domestic pets. Taronga works closely with NSW Government’s Seabirds to Seascapes program, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Services and community groups to protect these vulnerable populations and support their recovery in NSW.

“Little Penguins are a much-loved species, but they’re also incredibly vulnerable on land, with predation from off-leash dogs, cats and introduced foxes,” said Lauren. “Whether it’s during their annual moult, nesting or when they become disoriented like this particular little penguin did, it’s important that we all take care and precautions to look out for them on our coastal beaches,” said Lauren. 

Taronga Wildlife Hospital treats around 125 native species each month. To expand its capacity to care for injured and endangered animals, Taronga is currently constructing a new wildlife hospital at Taronga Zoo Sydney, which includes specialised rehabilitation pools for marine seabirds and turtles. Taronga’s new Wildlife Hospital is set to be completed in 2026.