Who would have thought that a colony of eight bachelor male 'fairy' penguins reside in Macedon. Where else of course but at Chris Humfrey's private zoo!
The little penguins or 'fairy' penguins have been bred in captivity and hand reared to be part of Chris Humfrey's Wild Action program in Victorian schools.
"The fairy penguin makes an ideal educational animal by being hand raised," Chris said.
"They recognise my voice and call out when they are hungry, eagerly jumping into my lap for a feed of pilchards!
"The only drawback to having a fairy penguin as a pet is that your hands always smell of fish, and that you get some funny looks when you stand in line at the bank."
Chris said the world's smallest penguin finds the Macedon ranges an idyllic climate most of the time, except for those really hot days in the middle of summer.
"That's when the little guys have a reprieve in my bathtub…and boy can they make a mess!"
Chris prefers to call the little penguin by it's former name the 'fairy' penguin.
Chris has a private displayers license with the Department of Sustainability and Environment, not everyone can keep a fairy penguin.
"I am so lucky to be able to keep penguins, it is a dream come true," he said.
"My penguins are the only penguins in Australia which visit classrooms.
"They are the world's only blue penguin, and eat up to eight pilchard fish a day…each!"
Humfrey hopes his interactive wildlife education shows will help foster a greater awareness for the environment among children and adults alike.
"I don't think that people fully appreciate our natural world, and how much of an impact on it with have," he said.
Look out for Chris Humfrey and his penguins in Macedon Ranges schools and kindergartens over the summer months.
Wild Action's rock pool discovery programs showcase Victoria's rocky shores biodiversity.
www.wildaction.com.au
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