Photo: Penguin Sign Oamaru

A Penguin crossing sign along the road in Oamaru, Otago on the South Island of New Zealand.

As you drive along the road in Oamaru, Otago on the South Island of New Zealand there is a sign cautioning drivers to be on the lookout for a penguin or two crossing the road. The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony sits along the coastline of Oamaru, New Zealand and you never know when they might decide to venture out on the road.The Blue Penguin Colony in Oamaru is home to the smallest penguin in the world and is an area where the blue penguin is protected. They grow to be about twenty-five centimeters high and weigh approximately one kilogram. New Zealand and Southern Australia are the only two places that this species of Penguin is found.There is an entry fee that has different packages available where you can view these penguins close up. The cute little penguins only seem to come ashore at night and they reside in burrows which can make it difficult to see them. There is an area where special lighting is used at night so that people can watch the penguins as they head home after a long day in the waters. ... continue below the picture...

... The penguins hang around all year but September to January is prime time to visit the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony. A penguin could cross the road at anytime of the year so this sign is in effect all year and you should always be on the lookout for a little blue animal waddling along.Oamaru, Otago, South Island, New Zealand

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