The National Aquarium of New Zealand has found a novel way to keep its penguins behaving correctly: with a monthly naughty and nice list.

The list, which the aquarium has been running since June 2017, is popular with visitors for naming and shaming penguins with bad behaviour.

The first saw Timmy and Betty named, two of the aquarium’s resident little penguins, the world’s smallest species of penguin.

Every month our penguin keepers tell the world about our naughtiest and best behaved penguins! This was the list for June…. Posted by National Aquarium of New Zealand on Saturday, July 1, 2017

The aquarium said: “Keepers vote on who deserves the titles good and naughty penguin each month, and have been doing this for just over a year.

“Timmy and Betty were the winners in June 2017 and when posted on Facebook for the first time the whole world took notice, with Timmy as naughty penguin of the month capturing special interest.

“Even one year on from Timmy’s fame, the aquarium regularly request update reports on Timmy and if his behaviour has improved!”

It's that wonderful time once again! Our penguin keepers have made their choices for naughty and good penguins of the… Posted by National Aquarium of New Zealand on Friday, May 4, 2018

The aquarium said: “Timmy was voted naughty penguin of the month as he always tries to steal fish, and knock other penguins out of the way to get the food. He also has a reputation for flicking sand everywhere.

“Betty was the good penguin of the month in June 2017. Generally a well behaved penguin (goody too-shoes), she loves swimming all day which is good for penguins and always waits patiently for her food – not like the others.”

It's that time again! Time for the naughty and nice penguins of the month! Fish stealing is an art and one that Mo has… Posted by National Aquarium of New Zealand on Friday, April 6, 2018

All of the little penguins at the aquarium are there because they need help from specialist staff.

Some penguins are brought in because they were abandoned as chicks, are partially sighted, or became sick or injured in the wild.

The National Aquarium acts as a rehabilitation centre for many of the little penguins, sending them back into the wild when they are recovered, or becoming a permanent home for others.

The Naughty Penguin of the month is here! Burny was so good last month but has picked up bad habits from Mo! What a fall… Posted by National Aquarium of New Zealand on Friday, June 8, 2018

The aquarium said: “The National Aquarium of New Zealand has received many visitors specifically to come and see the penguins due to the popularity of the naughty and good penguin of the month posts on social media.

“These special penguins really have captured the hearts of Facebook followers, and enabled the aquarium to share its conservation messages.”

- Press Association