A thirsty and thin royal penguin has been found stranded on a New Zealand beach more than 1,000 miles from its sub-Antarctic home.

The penguin was found by hikers Sunday and is now being cared for at the Wellington Zoo. Staff say it remains in a critical condition, emaciated and suffering from kidney failure. But it has made small improvements each day.

The penguin's arrival has revived memories of another penguin, an emperor nicknamed Happy Feet, that arrived in 2011 and whose recovery at the zoo captured the hearts of many before he was released.

Royal penguins generally live on and around Macquarie Island, about halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica. Just four have been recorded landing on the North Island over the past 100 years.