Monitoring results presented to Ornithological Society
13th June, 2011
Kerry-Jayne Wilson presented a paper to the Ornithological Society in early June. The paper looked at breeding success in colonies with and without predator control and was the result of three years monitoring at Charleston and two years monitoring in South Westland. Surprisingly results showed traffic and dogs are more of a threat to blue penguins than stoats on the West Coast.
Check out the research section of the website to read an abstract of the research paper.
Chicks fledge
24th December, 2010
December means most young penguins have fledged and left the protection of their parents to make their way in the world. These chicks, photographed by Doug Baker at Camerons, south of Greymouth, are about four days old. Chicks are guarded by their parents usually for 20-30 days. They fledge between 48-63 days.
2010 Census results
21st December, 2010
The latest census results are available now
Check out the research page
Confirmed replacement clutching
30th November, 2010
West Coast Blue Penguin Trust ranger Reuben Lane has observed the first recorded case of replacement clutching on the West Coast. Read more
Penguins on television
16th November, 2010
Jim Mora and the TVNZ6 crew filming penguin prints near Hokitika.
Blue Penguin Trust finalist in business excellence awards
15th June, 2011
The West Coast Blue Penguin Trust is delighted to be a finalist in the West Coast Leading Light Business Excellence Awards. The Trust has made the top three in the Community / Charity Organisation category.
Trustee Rebecca Gibson says it is an honour to have been chosen.
“It is a wonderful achievement for the Trust and shows we are seen as a serious and effective conservation body on the Coast,” she says.
Award winners will be announced at a function on the 8th of July.
Kiwi dog looks for penguins
8th July, 2011
DOC and the Penguin Trust have taken the unusual step of using a Kiwi dog to sniff out penguins. Kiwi dog Sky was put into action on Wednesday 7 July. The first step involved her being taken to some known penguin burrows to make sure she knew what to sniff for. Next week she’ll be taken to the Cobden breakwater area to see if she can find penguin burrows there.
Census is coming
2nd August, 2011
The annual blue penguin census will take place this year between the 13th and 16th of August.
These dates have been picked because low tides will range from 4.20am to 6.10am meaning volunteers don’t have to get up too early to look for signs of blue penguins on the beach. Breeding will be in full swing at this time.
Volunteers are asked to walk sections of the beach early in the morning to count penguin prints. While not scientific it provides valuable information about trends in penguin numbers. At last years census the Scouts found evidence of penguins north of Hokitika, which has resulted in a the habitat restoration project.
Penguin Trust’s research on RNZ’s Our Changing World
10th February, 2012
In January the West Coast Blue Penguin Trust’s work was featured in a Radio New Zealand documentary. It focused on the Trust’s research which has found on the West Coast the greatest threat to penguin mortality is cars and dogs rather than stoats. To listen to the documentary click here.
Penguin Trust at Fox River Market
10th February, 2012
The Penguin Trust’s stall at February’s Fox River Market was popular with locals and tourists. The new penguin t-shirts were running hot with lots sold. We still have most sizes if you would like a t-shirt – they are $25 and can be purchased through info@bluepenguin.org.nz. Thanks to Valda, Jess and Kerry-Jayne who looked after the stall and passed on lots of information about penguins to visitors.
