An unusual visitor

One of the latest visitors to New Zealand has had worldwide attention. Having arrived at Peka Peka Beach, near Wellington, it was hoped that the Emperor Penguin - immediately named Happy Feet by the public - would swim off again and back to his home Antartic waters.

After a few days he was seen eating sand - a poor substitute for ice - and the Department of Conservation arranged for him to be transported to Wellington Zoo, where he has undergone a number of operations to remove the sand and debris from his stomach. He is now recovering and back on a diet of fish and ice. Once back to health it is hoped he will be able to catch a ride in a ship to his native southern ocean.

Emperor penguins are the largest penguins, with adults standing over 1m tall. They were the stars of the film 'The March of the Penguins' and of course of 'Happy Feet'. They also hold the diving record of 450m and 11 minutes underwater.

Kiwigiftsonline have celebrated with a home page full of ideas for happy feet including our new addition of sheepskin baby slippers.

In response to requests from returning customers, we have also added a new category with the latest kiwigifts added to the website - a quick catch up for those who want to know what is new on the site.

Meanwhile, many thanks to DoC who do a great job in maintaining New Zealand's natural heritage.

Keep those feet happy......

Dione