A little penguin was joined by its saviours as it was returned back to Manly waters yesterday, right where it was rescued a few weeks ago.
Members of the public found the penguin, dubbed ‘Pixel’ by Taronga, struggling in North Steyne ocean during the early hours of the morning in February.
“I ended up being the only one with a towel, so I was just sitting there with this little penguin here,” Camilla told Manly Observer, who was present to witness the re-release of bird.
“We’re calling all the numbers, but it’s 6am no one’s really picking up. Taronga Zoo is not open yet,” Camilla’s daughter Cara added, “then someone picked up and said, yeah, we’ll send a volunteer, and until then, you’ll just stay with the penguin, which we did for like, a few hours. It was very cute.”
The rescue crew (left to right: Cara, NPWS representative, Deb Collins, Camilla) Photo: Jack Kelly
The penguin was picked up by local wildlife rescue organisation WIRES and brought to Taronga Wildlife Hospital for examination. The bird was in an emaciated state, unable to walk and avoided being in the water.
For eight weeks it was able to regain its strength with supportive care and proper nutrition from the vet nurse team. During this time the little bird’s personality had quite the impact.
“She’s been my favourite patient for the last two months. I absolutely adored her, but seeing her go back into the wild is what it’s all about,” Deb Collin, a Taronga Vet Nurse, shared.
“Pixel, just as her name says, she’s just a small part of the bigger picture of little penguins. We don’t have a lot of them on mainland Australia, so it’s important we get her back out there so that she can continue to contribute to the overall health of the little penguin species.”
Members from the public, Taronga, and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) all made it to North Steyne yesterday to witness the release.
Perhaps Pixel had too become quite fond of her carers, not immediately swimming away but rather hovering among the shore waves for ten minutes before departing into the horizon.
The hopes are that the little penguin will rejoin the Manly colony and contribute to its repopulation. At its current state, this last remaining mainland colony in Australia is down to just 15 breeding pairs – a record low for a second year in a row, previously sitting at 19.
Each year, It’s estimated 1.5 billion vertebrate animals are killed by cats, feral and roaming.
“These little penguins, being from Manly, fight a lot of battles… I think everyone needs to be conscious of the fact that we have this beautiful species very close to us,” Deb said.
“So, being responsible, as far as your dog ownership, keeping your dogs on leash in the areas where they can be found, keeping your cats inside, removing all your marine debris, and going slowly in areas where penguins are if you’ve got a boat.”
Roaming and feral cats and foxes have significantly reduced colony numbers in the past, however, off-leash dogs are also a threat. A penguin was reported by Taronga to have died by a dog attack on Warriewood Beach in January this year.
An emancipated penguin was found deceased on Warriewood Beach with bite wounds on its neck. January 30 2026. Picture: supplied
Boat strikes are also a constant concern in a busy area such as Manly. Restricted areas for anchoring, particularly around Collins Flat and Quarantine Beach, are still often crowded with vessels.
In the past year, Taronga has taken four little penguins into their care. This is a decrease, as they usually care for at least a dozen. Although this low number may seem as a progress, their wildlife hospital sees it as a concern, believing it to be an indicator of poor colony numbers.
On a positive note, there are plenty of people and organisations currently assisting in the preservation of the colony. Taronga works closely with the NSW Government’s Seabirds to Seascapes program, NSW NPWS monitor for predation threats and community groups such as Manly’s volunteer group, the penguin wardens, support their recovery.
The rescue group onlooking a now healthy Pixel the penguin swimming off into the horizon. Photo: Jack Kelly
Even regular members of the public are ready to go out of their way to lend a helping hand, such as Pixel’s rescuers, with Cara going above and beyond, sticking behind after the rescue to pick up litter scattered along Manly beach after the previous night’s storm.
It’s important to note if you see a struggling penguin, or any marine creature, it’s best not to approach it – unless absolutely necessary – and to call your local wildlife rescue service for assistance.