Kia Ora and welcome to our Christmas newsletter.
It's that time of year again when the sun is hot and the BBQ's are smoking, the beaches get busy, families and friends gather, and when parents are frantically preparing for Christmas. At the same time, in the penguin world, parents are also busily going backwards and forwards bringing food from the sea to the land. Chicks are growing fat and shedding their down feathers, preparing to get into the sea for the first time, and calling impatiently to their parents to feed them. They start to venture out of their burrows, bravely exploring what's outside the dark cave of the nest, which has been their entire world so far! It's a time for taking care of each other and the nature around us, as we celebrate.
We wish you all a Meri Kirihimete and a very Happy Holidays. We thank you all for your support in all the different ways we have received it over this past year. All the time spent reading our newsletters, counting penguin tracks, donating money and gifts, building nest boxes, raising awareness for us and many other ways. Thank you.
This packed festive instalment brings you the latest reports from our rangers in the field, in the community and schools and behind the scenes. Read Linden's interesting report on the latest from the largest blue penguin colony on the West Coast, from Robin exploring the Antipodes, from me out in our local schools and beaches, accompanied by our favourite dog Mena, and much more.
Once chicks have fledged, embarking on that big adventure out to sea, parents will spend time looking after themselves and putting on weight to prepare for the moult. The annual moult is usually around January/February for our penguins, and may be a little later as breeding started late this season. So, if you come across a scruffy penguin or a slightly confused one, give them space and enjoy the wonderful sight from afar, ensuring they are safe from dogs. Thank you.
Hopefully you will never need this, but just in case, we're including the DOC hotline so that it's handy if you come across an injured penguin or any wildlife that seems to be struggling whilst out there on the beach, river mouths or roads: 0800 DOCHOT (362 468), and again, do all you can to ensure sick or injured wildlife are safe from dogs.
Also, if you see or hear about a dead penguin, please let us know using our simple reporting form, ideally with a photograph, and, if you can have a look and it's obvious or apparent, your thoughts on possible cause of death. We can then add the information to our database - which informs our conservation actions.
As always we have some festive suggestions for Christmas gifts, which help support the work we do, or if you would simply like to give a donation on behalf of a friend, we can help!
Thank you again for your interest and support in 2022. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Meri Kirihimete
Lucy Waller
Education & Awareness Ranger, West Coast Penguin Trust