A small lost stranger dressed in black and white has been enchanting New Zealanders — a young wayward Emperor penguin.

Wildlife experts say the bird somehow wound up on a beach north of Wellington this week — more than 3,000 kilometers away from its home in Antarctica.

It is the first time a Emperor penguin has been seen in New Zealand in 44 years.

The experts say it likely wandered out to sea to feed and lost its way. They have no plans to try to airlift the visitor back, saying since it swam all the way from Antarctica, it could likely find its way back.