Blindy The Blind Penguin Picked Up By A New Family

A blind penguin who got separated from its colony has found a new family.

Blindy, a 12-week-old penguin who lives in Flea Bay in New Zealand, has been adopted by animal lover Shireen Helps.

The blue penguin was born without functioning eyes and had developed the unusual habit of swimming in tight circles, crashing into the side of its small pond.

To help it learn how to swim - and fly - Mrs Helps began throwing the bird into deeper water.

Flea Bay is home to just three humans and more than 2,500 penguins, and the Helps family have been saving baby chicks from predators for more than 30 years.

Blindy was found by a local farmer after it had left its nest and got lost in a creek. The penguin was born with a malformed head and beak, making it difficult to tell if it is male or female.

Mrs Helps said Blindy is beginning to swim with more confidence.

“If it gets dizzy going around one way, it changes direction and goes around the other way,” she said.

“So it’s really learning very well.”

She said Blindy would not survive in the wild, but hopes the animal may find a home at a zoo.

(Pictures: AP)