Robin Long – Tawaki Ranger and Trustee with the West Coast Penguin Trust and volunteer with The Tawaki Project – speaks about the tawaki, or Fiordland crested penguin, in this talk published on Vimeo this week, sharing the results of work she has carried out or been involved in over the past 10 years, especially in the 2019 breeding season.
The Department of Conservation in Franz Josef hosted their second ‘Te Wahipounamu TED talks’ event in October 2019, inviting speakers to share stories about South Westland in 15 minute slots. This was a great opportunity for Robin to share her extensive knowledge of these, the third rarest of the penguins. Tawaki breed only on the New Zealand mainland and, until recently, have remained largely un-researched and unknown.
Big thanks to DOC for putting on the talks and to Vaughan Bradley for recording and then collating the video for sharing.
While materials were chosen that would stand up to the harsh coastal conditions, those same coastal conditions are conducive to plant growth! Occasional checks of the fences have been carried out by volunteers and rangers so that any maintenance needs can be identified and remedied. The never-ending need for maintenance is managing the vegetation that can grow through the fence, for example gorse, blackberry and hydrangea, pushing it to breaking point in places, or flop over causing damage from the weight of rank grass, rushes and weeds such as montbretia.
Volunteers recently spent a few hours tidying up the main fence along Woodpecker Bay north of Punakaiki so a big shout out to them - thank you Fiona, Jony, Reef, Katrina, Mandy, Marty, Teresa and Deb! Flax had been pressing down on the fence, but now the fence has been freed up by these wonderful volunteers - and they picked up a fair bit of rubbish too.
Volunteer Natassja Savidge has offered to check and help maintain the Hokitika penguin protection fence and joined Ranger Lucy Waller and Manager Inger Perkins in May to inspect the length of the fence. Some minor issues were found but the main finding was the extent of the vegetation growth that was damaging the fence in places. Big thanks to Natassja!
