2019-10-01 Wanderlust

Dayfadestoduskasthesundipsbehindthe

ridge.Stillthewavesrollinfromacrossthe

endlessPaci…ictobreakontherockyshore.

Blueishbumpsappearinthesurf–halfadozen,

20,more–asapocketbattalionbreaksfrom

thefoamingseaandwaddlesupthroughthe

boulders:penguins.Dozensofpenguins.

ThreepenguinspeciesnestonNewZealand’s

mainislands,withseveralmoreinhabitingsmaller

outposts.Foraguaranteedpenguinparade,head

toOamaru,onSouthIsland’seastcoastbetween

ChristchurchandDunedin,hometoacolonyoflittle

(or‘blue’)penguins(picturedleft),knowntoMaori

askororā.Thissmallestpenguinspeciesnestsin

boxeshere,headingoutinthedaytoforagefor

sprat,returningatnighttofeedtheirchicks.

Alternatively,visitthePenguinPlace

conservationreserveatDunedin,workingto

protecttheendangeredyellow-eyedpenguinor

hoiho,whichcanalsobespottedinthewildat

CurioBayontheCatlinscoastinthefarsouth.

Toptip:ForachancetoseeFjordlandcrested

penguins(picturedbelow)alsoknownastawaki

bookonadaycruiseonMilfordSound,orhiketo

MunroBeachnearHaast.

Alsotry:GalápagospenguinsinEcuador;

MagellanicpenguinsinArgentinePatagonia;

AfricanpenguinsinSouthAfrica;various

speciesintheFalklandIslands.

120

WHEN?

Thoughpenguins

remainatOamaru

year-round,you’ll

seemore–upto

200 – fromSeptember

toFebruary,when

parentsspenddays

atseaforaging

foodfortheiryoung.

The classic: Marvel at chinstrap, Adélie and

gentoo penguins near the Antarctic Peninsula

The alternative: Witness a

penguin parade in New Zealand

ALTERNATIVE SECRET WILDLIFE EXPERIENCES

wanderlust.co.uk October 2019 111

Naturepl; Alamy