Penguin talks are back! 5.30pm, Wednesday 25th June, Westland District Library, Hokitika.
After an introduction to the Trust and our work, Tawaki Ranger, Catherine Stewart will share video clips, photos and insights from 11 years of monitoring Fiordland crested penguins or tawaki in one of the remotest spots in New Zealand, Gorge River in deepest South Westland.
Catherine presented her findings at the recent biennial Oamaru Penguin Symposium and has expanded the 15 minute presentation to share with anyone interested in these handsome and rarely seen penguins. Catherine’s daughter, Robin Long, began the monitoring in 2014 and went on to become a Trustee and then Chair of the West Coast Penguin Trust. As she moved on to survey tawaki in other remote areas including Stewart Island Rakiura, complete a Diploma then Masters in wildlife studies, and travel overseas, Catherine took on the mantle of tawaki ranger.
Installing and maintaining trail cameras and checking on the colony with minimal disturbance a few times during the season, we are learning more about tawaki. The intention of monitoring initially was to learn whether there was predation and if so by what. We have discovered so much more!
Come along to the library in Hokitika to find out about these West Coast 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!
