The king penguin spotted at Port Davey
© Roaring 40s KayakingThe king penguin spotted at Port Davey stocked up on fish before moulting.
A second king penguin has been spotted on mainland Tasmania, with one wildlife officer calling the sighting especially rare "unless you're on a tourist ship going to Antarctica".

The penguin was spotted by kayakers at Port Davey in Tasmania's far south-west.

Wildlife officer Julie McInnes said it was a different penguin to the bird spotted at Seven Mile Beach near Hobart last month.


Dr McInnes said it was unusual to have two king penguins sighted in one year.

"This is a really rare thing for people to see, unless you're on a tourist ship going to Antarctica," Dr McInnes told ABC Radio Hobart.


The birds usually call Macquarie Island, about 1,500 kilometres from Tasmania, home.

"Given the remote location of the second bird, there may be a number of birds that come ashore over the years which are not seen or reported," Dr McInnes said.

She said "vagrant" juvenile penguins were known to come ashore away from their colonies from time to time.

"They can disperse quite a way," she said.

Authorities were able to distinguish the second penguin from the first by its coat.

"After it moulted its feathers it was looking pretty shiny and sleek," Dr McInnes said.

"This one has older, worn feathers and hasn't moulted recently."

Source: ABC Radio Hobart