An ordinary errand in Oamaru, New Zealand, turned into an extraordinary tale when Merv Wilson stopped by his local jewelry store to pick up a repaired wristwatch. Instead of leaving with just his timepiece, Wilson found himself at the center of a magical encounter with the most unexpected visitor. “The [store owner] asked if that duck followed me in,” Wilson said. Confused, he told the store owner that he thought he was alone.

“I didn’t know anything followed me in.” A quick look behind him and he could see his surprise guest. As it turned out, the curious companion wasn’t a duck at all. Peering closer, Wilson and the jeweler discovered a tiny penguin chick had waddled into the store behind him.

We were both bewildered as to how it got there,” Wilson said.

The blue penguin chick, native to the coastal area just a few blocks from the store, had taken a short detour from the sea to explore the human world around him. Despite her unusual surroundings, the chick seemed calm and collected, the Wilson said. “[The penguin] was very quiet, not really frightened,” he said. “At one stage, I was going to pick the penguin up, but thought I better not.”

Merv Wilson’s friendly little penguin stalker. Photo courtesy of Wilson

Wilson and the store owner called in experts to help them get the penguin to a safe spot, as well as receive any medical help if he needed it. Ōamaru Blue Penguin Colony immediately responded. Rescuers, accustomed to retrieving penguins from unexpected spots, quickly assessed the situation. “We pick up penguins from random locations quite often in Oamaru,” a spokesperson for the colony said.

Luckily, the jewelry store penguin was in perfect health and required no additional care. After ensuring her safety, the rescuers released her back into the wild where she could return to her aquatic adventures. “[She] was healthy and didn’t need extra supportive care, so we released [her] into the wild,” the spokesperson said. “[She’ll] be well out to sea by now.”

Though the penguin’s visit was brief, it left a lasting impression on Wilson and the store owner. “I have never seen anything like it,” Wilson said. Penguins and humans have a surprisingly good track record of getting along. Below, is a story showing just how much a penguin can care for a human, and the lengths he will go to for a chance at seeing his favorite human.

Source: The Dodo