Penguin escapes zoo, wanders Budapest streets

March 9 (UPI) -- Hungarian police said officers captured an unusual fugitive Wednesday morning in central Budapest: a penguin that escaped from the local zoo.

Budapest police said the penguin was spotted in the early hours Wednesday wandering on a large street near the city's zoo.

"As it would have been a long walk to Antarctica, the bird was captured, wrapped in a blanket, and handed over intact to the Metropolitan Zoo and Botanical Garden," police said in a statement.

The zoo said the penguin, named Sanyika, is 6 months old and extremely curious.

"It may be news to some, but penguins become so curious at 4-6 months of age that they try to explore their environment as much as possible," the zoo said in a Facebook post.

"Somehow, Sanyi got out of his outdoor enclosure and wandered out of the zoo. To make sure this doesn't happen, we've installed cameras in the penguins' enclosure and are keeping a close eye on the penguin troop," the post said. "The animal keepers are doing their best to ensure that Sanyi stays with the team during this curious time."