Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony Scientist, Dr Philippa Agnew, reports on transponder training with Trust Ranger Linden Brown back in November.
“We’ve had a very big week this week, inserting 197 microchips into little penguin chicks and adults! We couldn’t have done it without help from a fantastic crew! Thanks to Rachel from the University of Otago, Deleece from Forest & Bird – Places for Penguins, Henry who used to work for us and came back to Oamaru give us a hand, Linden from West Coast Penguin Trust and our team, Nia, Kelsey & Philippa.”
This was a fabulous opportunity for new Trust Ranger, Linden Brown. The West Coast Penguin Trust has been gradually using chips (just like those used for cats and dogs) to identify penguins and inserting the chips, known as Passive Integrated Transponders or PIT tags, and Linden will be tagging blue penguins at our Charleston study site this coming breeding season. Joining the team at Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony as they chipped their latest penguin chicks meant that he gained both the hands on experience and the necessary ‘Level 2’ wildlife banding qualification to inject the tiny chips under a penguin’s skin.
The Trust is expecting to take delivery of a fixed PIT tag reader in time for the next breeding season. It will be installed at a pinch point where blue penguins come ashore and every time a chipped penguin passes the reader, it will be logged and a great deal more will be learned about the comings and goings of these penguins.
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!
