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HELP THE PENGUINSI

You can help us safeguard the future of the blue penguin (kororā) and the Fiordland crested penguin (tawaki); all it takes is a small donation.

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Hello!

 

We wish you all a belated Happy New Year and hope you have been enjoying the beautiful summer weather. Penguin chicks have fledged, most adults have moulted and many will have headed out for their weeks or months at sea.

 

This time is a mysterious time for us, unsure of what blue penguins do for the next few months.  Our new microchip tagging and monitoring project will start informing us about blue penguin demographics - super breeders, where offspring go to nest etc.  So we don't know where they go between moulting and the next breeding season but we are continuing to learn more so that conservation management can be the best it can be, and we'll keep you posted.

 

Since our early December newsletter, our rangers have wrapped up their monitoring and burrow scoping, trail camera maintenance and tracking predators. Abundant data and imagery has been collected and will now be analysed. Schools have been holidaying so I turned my focus to updating and editing the education resource for a second edition to be published soon, so watch this space! We will let you know when it is ready. I also am looking forward to working with schools again this year so we, as a community, keep on learning more about West Coast penguins so that we can help protect them. 

 

We also said a farewell to Gerald Freeman, our Cape Foulwind Ranger, thanking him and wishing him all the best for his retirement and future endeavors.

 

Ranger and Trustee Robin Long has been in the media and part of penguin adventures down south again, read on for the stories.

 

Although the coastal dune erosion has not been as severe as during the winter months, it is still tricky to walk dogs on the beach in many places, and we are forced to be closer to or even in the dunes, so please do continue to ensure your dog is not free to roam in the dunes and coastal vegetation. We are now in the latter stages of the moulting period. When a penguin moults it cannot go to sea for two to three weeks, so they are very hungry, exhausted and stressed. This is the most vulnerable time for a penguin. 

 

Unfortunately this summer brought us two tawaki deaths from dog attacks at Jackson Head and Jackson Bay. Any loose dog, however small and cuddly, will be tempted by the movement and smell of a penguin and we published some reminders for dog owners to help keep penguins safe.

 

If you see an injured penguin or any wildlife that seems to be struggling, please call DOC for assistance on 0800 DOCHOT (362 468). Please do not pick up the bird or animal, which causes more stress to them, particularly during the moult. It's very important to have an experienced ranger - from DOC or the Penguin Trust - determine whether the penguin is at risk or needs to stay where it is. We often hear of a sick or injured penguin from a member of the community, which we are very grateful for, and in most cases the penguin needs removing and assessing for treatment and rehabilitation. However, if we pick up a moulting penguin, we cause them a lot of stress and, if they are safe from dogs, they are best left where they are. 

 

Many thanks for all your support.


We hope 2021 brings you good health, peace and lots of fun in nature!

 

Lucy


Education and Awareness Ranger

 

Gift matching opportunity – double your donation!

 

A wonderful supporter has promised to match donations up to a very generous $3,000. If you are able to make a donation, small or larger, one off or regular, from now until the end of May, it will be doubled!

 

Find out more here...

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Facilitating blue penguin/ kororā tracking projects

 

October saw the resumption of the blue penguin – kororā tracking project on the West Coast that began in November 2019 and follows earlier efforts by the West Coast Penguin Trust (WCPT) to track blue penguins. 

 

Read about our collaboration with the New Zealand Penguin Initiative here

Penguin tracking map

Dogs on holiday causing penguin nightmare

 

Two rare tawaki or Fiordland crested penguins are believed to have been killed or fatally injured by a dog or dogs at Jackson Head Wildlife Refuge and around Jackson Bay, and DOC is asking pet owners to ensure their animals are under control and kept out of prohibited areas.

 

Listen to the Panel (RNZ) interview Inger Perkins here

 

And find out more here

Tawaki with chick

Key messages for dog owners

 

In response to the story above, the Trust issued key messages for dog owners.  Please have a read whether or not you are a dog owner so that you can gently encourage dog owners to do the right thing. 

 

Read the key messages here

Walking a dog at the beach

Appreciation to Gerald Freeman for work at Cape Foulwind

 

Trust Cape Foulwind Ranger, Gerald Freeman, is retiring from his role with the Trust, having kept predators at bay there for the past four years.

 

Find out more about the project and Gerald's efforts here

Gerald Freeman

South Island penguin tours – fabulous new opportunity!

 

The Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust and the West Coast Penguin Trust, in association with Nature Quest, are presenting two trips for nature enthusiasts in September focused on penguins and penguin conservation.

 

Find out more about the trips and the opportunity to join them and support the Trust

Penguin watching

Blue penguin nest box design

 

Trust Chair and former Ranger, Reuben Lane, has prepared a nest box plan that we hope will keep penguins more secure and will be easier to transport to potential nest sites.

 

Have a look at the plan here

Nest box plan

Cheeky weka caught in nest box

 

As you have seen, we have changed the design of the nest boxes we will use this year. We had originally added a longer tunnel, but as seen on this video, it wasn't enough of a deterrent for some penguin threats.  Fortunately this nest box was empty.  See below for a weka book launch event!

 

Watch this cheeky weka trespassing and other penguin footage here.

Weka caught by trail camera

Tawaki vs. stoats - project update

 

Tawaki (Fiordland crested penguin) monitoring for the 2020 season found low stoat and rodent presence but some impact on breeding success due to stoat predation.  More analysis of all the data to follow. 

 

Read the interim project update here

Tawaki

World of Penguins talks - 11th May

 

Our next public talk is on Tuesday 11th May, 5.30pm in Greymouth.  We will provide an update on our projects and Kerry-Jayne Wilson MNZM will present an illustrated talk 'World of Penguins'. Pop it in your diary now!

 

Find the details here

Kerry-Jayne Wilson with King Penguins

Being a beach detective

 

Do you enjoy looking for penguin tracks and working out what creatures have been on the sand before you?  We love the NZ Tracker - a guide to help you identify all sorts of prints.

This guide was developed by Emily Roberts and is supported by Venture Taranaki, Dotterel Defenders, Project Hotspot and Curious Minds.

 

Find the NZ Tracker here

Tracker snip

Short videos about The Tawaki Project

 

Have a look at what really goes on in the world of penguin scientists with these wonderful videos about the work of The Tawaki Project - and spot our very own Robin Long in one of them!

 

Go to this youtube channel and select Fiordland crested penguins - parts 1-3

Tawaki Project snip

New Zealand Penguin Initiative report

 

The latest quarterly report from our friends at the NZ Penguin Initiative includes updates on our blue penguin monitoring and tracking projects where we are benefitting from their collaboration and support

 

Read the excellent report here

 
NZPI logo

Learning about the fascinating world of penguins with our education resource

It was 2014 when we launched our education resource book and it has been enjoyed by many schools, groups and families.

 

2017 brought us our Education Ranger Lucy, visiting schools and working with students to get the best out of their learning experience by using the resource.

 

Watch this space for our new updated and edited "Blue Penguins & Other Seabirds" education resource - to be published soon. It is a must read for anyone wanting to help children discover penguins!

 

Go here for more about our education project

penguin education
 
penguin education resource

Other news, stories and events

Yellow penguin - yes, really

 

A yellow penguin? Yes, not a yellow-eyed penguin! This king penguin on South Georgia Island appears yellow as it is missing melanin to produce black pigment.

 

Read the curious story from the Smithsonian Magazine and find out about leucism and a unique penguin yellow colour here

 
yellow king penguin

Weka, opportunist and battler: book launch 3.30pm, Saturday 27th March, Hokitika's Regent Theatre

 

The book launch will be more than a simple traditional celebration of a new book. It will be a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the birds' ecology and how to protect them while having them live nearby. 

 

Trust ecologist, Kerry-Jayne Wilson will MC the event and author Ralph Powesland will present an illustrated talk about the book and weka ecology.  Another date for your diary.

 

Find out more about this event on our website

weka book cover

Did you get to spot all 50 Christchurch penguins?  

 

The 50 large penguins and 65 small ones were displayed across Christchurch on a public art trail that celebrated all the unique parts of the city.

 

The penguins highlight themes like climate change, community, Antarctica, creativity, innovation and exploration. After nine weeks, out and about in Christchurch, the large penguins have been auctioned to raise money for Cholmondeley Children's Centre.

 

Have a look at the fantastic education page describing the design inspiration for each penguin.

 
meeting a Christchurch penguin
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Have you spotted our new signs around?

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with all the important and fun local penguin news!

 

www.facebook.com/bluepenguintrust/?ref=page_internal

 

 

 

And remember our website also has all the latest news, up-to-date information about the Trust, our projects and much more!

 

Stay connected....

www.westcoastpenguintrust.org.nz/

 

 

If you think there is a beach access on the West Coast that needs one of these signs, please let us know.  Email us here.

Coming soon:

  • Analysis of the 2020 penguin breeding season
  • More updates on what the Trust team have been up to
  • News of our updated education resource
  • And much more.....
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West Coast Penguin Trust

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