Penguinville at Hokitika Beach
22nd January, 2012
As part of Driftwood and Sand Sculpture Festival and Trust is running Penguinville at Hokitika Beach from Monday 23 to Sunday 29 January. Penguinville is a chance for the kids to build a penguin house and learn about blue penguins habitat. $2 for your own section at Penguinville, prizes for the best construction, most natural and most creative penguin houses will be awarded on Sunday at 2pm.
Guides help out at Cobden Beach
15th August, 2011
On Wednesday 10 August Trustee Ian Davidson-Wattts and co-ordinator Robyn Janes spent time with the Greymouth girl guides. After a talk about penguins everyone went down to Cobden beach to listen and look for blue penguins coming in. Sadly none were seen or heard but we will continue to check as part of the Northern breakwater ecological project.
Census a success
17th August, 2011
Over 80 West Coasters took to the beaches between the 13th and 16th of August as part of the annual West Coast Blue Penguin Trust census.
Hardy Coaster’s braved the early morning chill to count blue penguin prints on beaches from Karamea to Haast. Final results are still a month away but many volunteers did mention that they saw a lot of dog prints around the penguin prints which is worrying.
Cape Foulwind project underway
7th September, 2011
The project which will see public viewing of Blue Penguins and Sooty Shearwaters at Cape Foulwind has taken its first step.
Last month Solid Energy committed to funding the project for the next two years. Trust chair woman Kerry-Jayne Wilson and temporary ranger Helene Roehl have now put the first penguin nesting boxes and new predator traps in.
More planting at Hokitika beach
26th September, 2011
The Scouts, Penguin Trust and local volunteers were back in action on September 20 doing further planting as part of the Hokitika Blue Penguin Habitat Restoration Project. The plan is to restore penguin nesting habitat over time.
Thanks to funding from the West Coast Community Trust, Honda Tree fund and Forest and Bird planting is well underway.
Big audience for blue penguins on Coast
29th September, 2011
A potential audience of 120 thousand school children was focussed on West Coast blue penguins in late September.
Teachers and support staff from LEARNZ joined DOC, and Rebecca Gibson Helene Roehl from the West Coast Blue Penguin Trust to bring to life blue penguins and seals for children from throughout New Zealand.
Census results released
18th October, 2011
The 2011 census results can now be found on the website. Refer to the research page or
https://www.westcoastpenguintrust.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/Census-results-2011.pdf
New Trustee
2nd December, 2011
The Trust is delighted that Inger Perkins has agreed to become a Trustee, replacing Rebecca Gibson who has moved to Great Barrier Island. Inger works at DOC in Hokitika and has been a long-time supporter of the Trust and its work.
Kiwi dog used to find penguins
9th December, 2011
The West Coast Blue Penguin Trust and DOC have successfully used a Kiwi dog to help sniff out blue penguins at Cobden, near Greymouth.
The Trust is working with the Grey District Council to establish whether blue penguins are breeding in the area of the northern breakwater ecological project.
Recorded bird-calls to attract penguins and shearwaters
13th December, 2011
A sound-system broadcasting blue penguin and sooty shearwater calls has been erected near Cape Foulwind to attract more of the seabirds to the area.
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