A shy penguin wins New Zealand's bird election after campaign filled with memes and tattoos

The hoiho or yellow-eyed penguin won New Zealand's annual Bird of the Year vote, after a fierce contest absent the foreign interference and controversies that have upset the country's avian elections before. More than 50,000 people voted in the annual poll for best New Zealand bird, which is run by a conservation group aiming to raise funds and awareness for endangered and declining species. The hoiho — a noisy, smelly and shy bird believed to be the world's rarest penguin — was propelled to its second victory by a star-studded campaign. The karure, an tiny black robin, was the runner-up.