“I have never seen anything like it.”
Earlier this week, Merv Wilson stopped by his local jewelry store in Oamaru, New Zealand, to pick up a wristwatch heβd left for repair.
When Wilson approached the counter, he was asked a curious question. βThe store owner asked if a duck had followed me in,β Wilson recalled. βI told him I hadnβt noticed anything following me.β
But upon closer inspection, it wasnβt a duck at all. The surprise companion was actually a young penguin chick.
βWe were both quite puzzled about how it ended up there,β Wilson said. The store is just a short walk from the ocean, so the little blue penguin likely didnβt stray too far from its natural habitat.
The penguin seemed calm and unbothered by its new surroundings. βIt was very quiet, not frightened at all,β Wilson noted. βAt one point, I thought about picking it up, but decided against it.β
Realizing the penguin might struggle to find its way back to the sea, the Εamaru Blue Penguin Colony came to its rescue.
βWe often find penguins in unexpected places around Oamaru,β a spokesperson from the group explained. Thankfully, the penguin didnβt need any special care. βIt was healthy, so we released it back into the wild,β the spokesperson added. βItβs probably well out to sea by now.β
Though the penguin has long since left, Wilson will always remember the unexpected visit.
βIβve never experienced anything like it,β he said.