Wellington is getting ready to farewell the wayward emperor penguin that washed up on a Kapiti Coast beach in June.
The bird, nicknamed Happy Feet, underwent a series of operations to pump sand and sticks from its stomach and restore its health.
Well-wishers have been asked to don black and white to say their last goodbyes at Wellington Zoo at 11am on Sunday.
Happy Feet will be anaesthetised and fitted with a GPS tracker for his journey back to the sub-Antarctic region aboard a NIWA research vessel on Monday.
He'll be released at the northernmost range for young emperor penguins.
