Humboldt penguin swims 8 km after escaping Avifauna bird park in the Netherlands

On July 31, 2026 a young Humboldt penguin escaped from Vogelpark Avifauna in Alphen aan den Rijn. The bird entered a nearby ditch, entered the Oude Rijn and swam roughly eight kilometres to a lock in Roelofarendsveen. Staff were alerted after residents spotted the penguin in the water and, with help from by‑standers, captured it at the lock and returned it unharmed to the park.

Avifauna noted that young penguins are naturally curious, but such a lengthy water trek is unusual. The incident adds to a series of recent escapes from the park, including a horned guineafowl earlier this month, a pelican in August 2025, and previous penguin escapes in 2020 and 2025.