Help us name our little penguin mates at Pōhatu Penguins! 🐧 💙🐧💗

What do Marge and Homer, Prince William and Kate Middleton, and Posh and Becks have in common? They’re some of the most iconic power couples of all time! Now, it’s your chance to create the next legendary duo – but with penguins! 

We’re calling on all nature, sealife, and penguin lovers. We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve adopted two adorable white-flippered Little Penguins at Pōhatu Penguins in Akaroa for a whole year!

And here’s the deal: these two cuties need names, and we’re turning to our amazing Kiwi Experience whānau and friends to help us out. 

We’re launching a cracker of a competition – your chance to give these penguins their forever names! 🐧💙💗

Think of this as your chance to leave a lasting mark on New Zealand’s amazing wildlife and support the conservation efforts at Pōhatu Penguins. It’s a win-win!

Discover Pōhatu Penguins

For those who don’t know, Pōhatu Penguins is a stunning sanctuary in Akaroa dedicated to protecting New Zealand’s native little penguins. We’re stoked to feature this incredible experience as part of our recently launched Southern Secrets Tour! 

Book the tour, and you’ll have the chance to meet these charming little birds up close in their natural habitat. It’s a magical experience and an absolute must-do for any wildlife lover visiting New Zealand.

Fun facts about white-flippered penguin friends

• Fun fact #1: These are the only penguins in the world with unique white edges on their flippers! Found only in Canterbury, they blend perfectly into Akaroa’s turquoise waters – talk about penguin camouflage!
• Fun fact #2: White-flippered penguins have a “homing instinct” – they often return to the same nesting spots year after year, with some burrows being “inherited” within penguin families for generations.
• Fun fact #3: When out at sea, they love forming “rafts” to rest and keep an eye out for predators. It’s their way of staying safe, all while bobbing around together until it’s time to return home.

The important bit  - how to enter the name-our-Little Penguins competition

We’ve made this easy as! All you need to do is come up with names for our two penguin pals – one for our male penguin and one for our female penguin. Crack open those baby name books, flex your creativity, and start submitting your ideas on our Instagram page!

1. Entry period: Submit your names by commenting on the Kiwi Experience Instagram page

2. How to enter: Comment on our competition post on Instagram with your name suggestions

3. Selection: Our team at Kiwi Experience will shortlist our favourite names and announce the winners

The winning names will appear on the penguins' nesting box at Pōhatu Penguins. The lucky winner will also receive a Southern Secrets Tour spot for FREE! Including a Pōhatu Penguin experience.

Name our penguins and be in to win a spot on a Southern Secrets Small Group Tour! 🐧💙🐧💗

Want to adopt a penguin yourself? 🐧

If you’re keen to make an even bigger impact, you can adopt a penguin through Pōhatu Penguins' adoption program! Your support helps fund essential conservation efforts, rehabilitation, and habitat preservation for New Zealand’s native penguins. Check out the adoption page here and join us in making a difference!

Join us in giving back to New Zealand wildlife!

 We’re pumped to see what you come up with. Stay tuned on our social channels and here on our blog for the results. Get those ideas flowing, and help us make our penguins feel right at home. 

Terms & Conditions

•  The winning Penguin name will be polled and announced via social media.
•  The judge's (Kiwi Experience) decision is final. 
• The winning penguin's names will be communicated to Pohatu Penguins and named on the certificate.
• The winner will be gifted a complimentary seat on a Southern Secrets Small Group Tour: inclusions are as per the website tour link here
• The prize is land only and does not include flights, visas, medical insurance or additional requirements for travel to New Zealand. These are all the responsibility of the prize winner.
• Tours are subject to availability.
• The prize is valid for travel until 30 December 2025
• All other booking Terms & Conditions apply