Kaniere School children enjoyed a field trip to the beach on the northern edge of Hokitika recently, to discover who or what was using it. They found lots of penguin tracks and other bird and animal footprints, as well as plenty of evidence of humans.
The first thing they saw as they arrived at the beach was a pile of rubbish, which they all agreed would do penguins, or other wildlife, no good at all. Then, within just a few yards, they found plenty of penguin prints, as if a few penguins had got together for a chat! Within the tidal area, they found several sets of tracks heading straight for the sea with no time for a chat here.
Then they looked around and found prints that were probably made by a white heron, some seagulls and some smaller birds, perhaps dotterels. And all around the bird prints they found dog paw prints, small and large, some very small prints that were probably left by a cat and a stoat and, going right through the dune vegetation, quad bike tracks.
The children, aged 5 and 6, have been learning all about penguins this term, including the many threats to their survival and have discovered that man’s best friend is certainly no friend of our local penguins.
