Now to Oamaru, where a colony of Little Blue Penguins has gone from being a nuisance to the stars of a show that helps to support their own conservation.
The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony is managed by Tourism Waitaki with visitor revenue used to support research and monitoring.
The project has lessons for the government's push to ensure regional tourism pay more its own way and isn't a burden for ratepayers.
Tourism reporter Tess Brunton reports.
