A fish was filmed leaping out of the water in an attempt to avoid a penguin in hot pursuit.

Footage filmed on February 9 on Melbourne's shore shows a fish leaping out of the water to avoid a little penguin. The fish is eventually caught by the aquatic bird.

Filmer Simon Potocnik told Newsflare: "I’ve never seen one fishing like this before.

"I sail quite a bit and often see them floating about, they [the penguins] usually disappear underwater when you get close. So it was rather special, I watched it catch about five fish before disappearing."

Little penguins are the smallest species of penguin and are found on the southern coastlines of Australia and New Zealand.

A little penguin chases and catches a small fish.
Penguin can be seen ‘flying’ underwater. Fish jumps into the air to avoid capture

I’ve never seen one fishing like this before.
I sail quit a bit and often see them floating about, they usually disappear underwater when you get close.
So it was rather special, I watched it catch about 5 fish before disappearing