Friendly Penguin Visits The Locals In New Zealand

February 4, 2025

It’s not every day you see a penguin casually waddling down the street, but for one friendly little visitor, it seems to be a regular occurrence!

In a now-viral video, a good Samaritan was spotted guiding a penguin off the road to safety when the curious bird decided to take a detour—right toward Rodney, the husband of the video’s owner.

As the penguin approached, Rodney squatted down, and to everyone’s surprise, the penguin walked right up and stood beside him like an old friend.

friendly penguin New Zealand
Credit: Dee Clark via Viralhog

As cars stopped to take in the heartwarming moment, Rodney entertained the growing crowd.

"Cars began to stop and my husband began to entertain the crowd with the story he made up in the video," Dee Clark said.

A local police officer later reassured everyone that the penguin was a familiar face in the neighborhood. He apparently loves playing in the bushes and even has a habit of knocking on doors—especially those of locals who offer him food!

One resident shared that he often visits a boy with cerebral palsy, forming a sweet and unlikely friendship.