Video: New Zealand town has a tunnel for little blue penguins, ensuring them safe passage to sea

The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony, which is home to world’s smallest penguins, is open for tourists to see the tiny birds at close proximity. During the breeding season, many birds come and lay eggs at the natural park and wait for their hatchling to grow a little before heading back to the waters. As of now, this year alone, 284 eggs had been laid, 194 chicks hatched with one chick having already fledged, the elated centre announced on their Facebook page.

A Little Blue incubating her eggs at the conservation centre. (Source: Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony/ Facebook)

On their Facebook page, they also shared a video of the tiny birds using the tunnel at night. The birds also known as Fairy Penguins due to their small size can be found only in Australia. The tiny penguins don’t have a very long life-span and can reproduce only after they are three-years-old, so conservation is important for this species.

Watch little Fairy Penguins walking through tunnel here

To help them have a safe passage, the conservation centre developed this tunnel, first of its kind in New Zealand. To track their movements, cameras have been set up and lights have been placed at the end of the tunnel. “With a little light at the end of the tunnel to guide the way, the little blues just waddle on through!” the post added.

The Little blues are the smallest penguins in the world. (Source: Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony/ Facebook)

People have fallen in love with these wobbly-toddlers crossing through the tunnel and have been applauding the authorities for building it.

“The project was supported by the local Waitaki district council, as well as a number of private businesses who offered labour, materials, and advice,” Jason Gaskill, the general manager of Tourism Waitaki Limited, said to Guardian.