Tragically, a loose dog dug a little blue penguin / kororā out of a nest box in late July and killed it. It is almost certain that the same dog killed the partner of the dead penguin a few days later.
This horrific news and the deaths of these penguins should be absolutely avoidable.
The Trust joined DOC, Buller DC and the Carters Beach Reserves Committee at the August Carters Beach market to share information about the presence of penguins and keeping dogs safe and under close control. It was a great opportunity to share information and agree some action.
As a result and with the group’s input, the trust designed a flier, improved by compliance and dog control officer Tracy Judd, DOC and Sean Judd kindly printed it and Richard Nicholl, resident and on the Reserves Committee, delivered a copy to every home in the small Carters Beach community.
As always, the key message is that dogs are the biggest threat to penguins at the beach, and it is a simple matter of ensuring they are safe and secure at home and under close control when taken out for exercise.
Sadly, just before this attack, another little penguin was killed at Serpentine beach, near Kumara Junction.
Any beach could be used by little penguins. Any dog not under control, no matter how small and cuddly, could pick up and injure or kill a penguin, or scare it from a nest causing eggs or chicks to be abandoned.
We hate to harp on about this but it seems someone must.
We will be at the Barrytown School twilight gala on Friday 25th October to share the same thoughts and reminders.
Thank you for your responsible dog owner behaviour and sharing the reminder with friends who are dog owners.
Click here for the Carters Beach flier
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!
