News

Westland Mineral Sands (WMS) is proud to announce its partnership with the West Coast Penguin Trust, strengthening its commitment to conserving the unique biodiversity of the region and supporting vital efforts to protect the kororā (Little Penguin).

Westland Mineral Sands (WMS) is proud to announce its partnership with the West Coast Penguin Trust, strengthening its commitment to conserving the unique biodiversity of the region and supporting vital efforts to protect the kororā (Little Penguin). Managing Director Ray Mudgway says WMS is honoured to support such a highly respected conservation organisation. “As stewards of nature and advocates for sustainable operations, we are deeply committed to safeguarding the habitats of iconic local species such as the kororā and to contribute to the trust’s ongoing work in preserving these remarkable birds. Inger Perkins, Manager of the West Coast Penguin Trust, welcomed the partnership, acknowledging the collaborative approach taken by WMS. “We appreciated the early conversations with the WMS team, well before mining operations began, ensuring that penguins and other threatened seabirds were considered as mining was planned. Moving the relationship up a level to support our work with kororā is a natural step, one that we really appreciate, and one that will help us continue our penguin conservation projects,” says Perkins. The kororā, the world’s smallest penguin, stands just 30 cm tall and weighs around one kilogram. While kororā nest along various parts of New Zealand’s coastline, a small but significant population inhabits the rocky headland between Nine Mile Beach and Tauranga Bay in Cape Foulwind, Westport. “Given our proximity to this critical habitat, and through liaison with the trust, WMS has worked closely with the trust and conservation experts to identify nesting sites and better understand the movements of these extraordinary birds. This included the use of trained penguin-tracking conservation dogs, ensuring our operations respect and protect the environment for kororā,” says Mudgway. In response to these findings, WMS has adapted its operations and implemented measures to safeguard the penguins, including modifications to its traffic management plan. Truck movements near nesting areas are slowed and restricted during dawn and dusk, when kororā are most active, to minimise disruption to their natural behaviours and migration patterns. This partnership with the West Coast Penguin Trust reflects WMS’s commitment to balancing operational excellence with environmental stewardship. By prioritising the protection of the region’s precious wildlife, WMS aims to ensure the kororā can continue to thrive in their natural habitat for generations to come.

 

A pair to wear and a pair to share

The Trust is very fortunate to have a generous bunch of Supporters including Annual Supporters who donate a minimum of and often far more than $50 a year plus a few Supporters for Life (minimum $500 donation).

Each year, we aim to draw one Supporter for a prize and this year we have been given two pairs of colourful and arty recycled plastic earrings by Anthea Ibell at Remix Plastic in Christchurch. And the lucky winner is ... Victoria Halliday of Hokitika!  Victoria wins a pair to wear and a pair to share!  We found Victoria hard at work at Vinnies in Hokitika, where she is one of the team of wonderful volunteers. A leaflet comes with the earrings that encourages wearers to share the story behind them.  Anthea explains: "If someone compliments your earrings you can mention that they are NZ-made from recycled plastic and be sure in the knowledge that they are as light on the environment as possible." Fabulous concept Anthea, thank you very much, and congratulations Victoria! Read more about Remix Plastic and its vision of more sustainable behaviours and support for conservation projects such as ours here: https://www.westcoastpenguintrust.org.nz/news/recycled-plastic-art-working-doubly-hard-for-conservation/  

Both Greymouth guides and Greymouth cubs wanted to learn about their local little penguins this term and we were able to help.

Several weeks ago, the trust received separate requests from Greymouth guides and Greymouth cubs.  Both groups were keen to learn more about the local penguins - kororā, and to get down to their local beach for a bit of detective work.  

The Greymouth Guide Club Guides and Rangers had a chance to visit Cameron's Beach with Penguin Ranger Lucy Waller on a chilly, windy evening, 19th November. The group found many penguin tracks on the beach and learned all about nesting, penguin features and behaviour.  The Rangers are keen to work with the trust in future to help advocate for the penguins and do more work for their conservation. The Guides are aged from 9.5 years to 12.5 years and the Rangers are 12.5 years old and up.  Guide leader and mother of one of the guides, Joanne Naish said: "They really enjoyed the trip and we could not believe how many penguin tracks we all found.  Lucy was informative, knowledgeable and engaging with the girls."   Craig Passuello, one of the leaders of Greymouth cubs, explained that the cubs were working towards their 'Oceans Better World Badge' and were planning a beach clean up.

The group was keen to make a difference, pickup up rubbish, perhaps talk to dog owners, and learn about penguins, discovering their tracks as well as interpreting what other tracks might mean - dogs, people, vehicles - from the point of view of the smallest of penguins. The trust supplied each group with our educational resource, Blue Penguins and Other Seabirds - activities for exploration and action for schools and community groups, and Mr Passuello decided to give the 'plaster of Paris tracks' activity a go with the cubs, with great results! Mr Passuello reported: "The weather was perfect and the beach clean up at Cameron’s with the Greymouth Cub Group was a great success.  We were even fortunate enough to find some penguin footprints and we took a plaster cast of one. We are to take the cubs back at a later date and get them each to make a cast." Both groups are keen to work with the trust next year to grow the knowledge of these enthusiastic young people and support their journey to be more nature aware, learning about penguins and the threats to them, and then taking action to help their local kororā thrive.    

 

The Trust speaks up for penguins and other threatened seabirds when the need and opportunity present themselves.

Advocacy - speaking up for penguins

An important aspect of our work is advocacy. We know that you rely on us to speak up for penguins and other threatened seabirds through a variety of processes.

Te Tai Poutini Plan

Most recently, Trust Manager, Inger Perkins, spoke to the commissioners working on the new regional district plan, Te Tai Poutini Plan (TTPP)  - so far a 5.5 year process - during the hearing on the final chapter - Ecosystems and Biodiversity.  The commissioners need to apply a multitude of laws, policy statements and strategies but also bring their experience and judgement to bear in creating a plan that will meet the sustainable management requirements of the Resource Management Act and support the region for years to come.  At the heart of their work is balancing economy and development with environmental protection that is in all our interests. Our aim is to ensure penguins and other threatened seabirds and the places they breed and feed are protected. The process to develop TTPP has gone from discussion groups and workshops to a draft plan then proposed plan.  We provided feedback, comments, submissions and then further submissions, following up with presenting to commissioners where we believed the case to protect penguins needed further strengthening, often arguing for changes of just a word or a few words that will make a big difference. Find information about Te Tai Poutini Plan here. Find out about the purpose of a District Plan and associated processes here.  

Consent applications, plans and strategies

The Trust also keeps an eye on resource consent application in coastal areas, ensuring planners and developers are in the know about penguin habitat whether relating to a proposed vast new mine or a small rock protection in front of a single bach. There are a variety of processes where we believe we must speak up, representing these precious birds, and that extends to consultation on new legislation or new plans and strategies. For example, last year, we contributed to the review of public conservation land yet to be classified known as stewardship land where it was relevant to penguins and other threatened seabirds. Also, every region has a Conservation Management Strategy (CMS) that guides the Department of Conservation (DOC) staff and conservation boards.  The West Coast CMS was finalised and published in 2014 and each CMS is due for review every 10 years.  The West Coast CMS will be revised/rewritten in 2025 and DOC is inviting comments as they get the process underway through a short survey. This is an opportunity for everyone who wants to see conservation to the fore to have their say.  A draft will be published for more specific comment in due course, but we encourage you to have your say, as we will be doing.  The last day to complete the survey is Monday 16th December - not long now - please spare a few minutes to add your views.  All you need including a link to the survey is here. The DOC website explains what they are asking: "Before we begin drafting the CMS, we want to hear from everyone who uses, values and enjoys these public conservation areas. By sharing your thoughts and ideas, you can help shape how these places are managed over the next decade."

Funding to maintain our role as advocate

Advocating for penguins, petrels and other sea and shore birds and their habitat takes time and is a cost to the West Coast Penguin Trust.  It's an essential part of the trust's work but it relies on donations - grants don't cover that aspect of our work so we need your help to maintain this critical area of work. Your donations will help ensure that we continue to speak up for penguins, little penguins or kororā and Fiordland crested penguins or tawaki, and of course other threatened seabirds including the Westland petrel or tāiko. Thank you for your support whether through donations, submissions or your very valuable and much appreciated moral support!

Donate now

 

 

Our vision continues to be that “Sea and shore birds and their habitat of the West Coast Te Tai Poutini are healthy and thriving”. 

Our Mission is to achieve the vision through research, education, awareness, advocacy and practical projects, founded on strong science.

Message from the Chair

After three years as Chair, I will be handing the role over to a rotating roster of Trustees at the August AGM, as I have been spending too much time overseas lately to do it justice. Nevertheless, the conservation of penguins and West Coast ecosystems is still a very important part of my life, so I will remain on board as a trustee. The 2023-24 year has seen a fresh start for the Trust as our Education Ranger, Lucy Waller, took on the additional role of general Ranger, but also a long hard look at our funding streams and the sustainability of our operations. In my message a year ago, I acknowledged that the Trust has relied upon funding from DOC for half of our operational expenses, and that the DOC funding appears to have dried up. With an increased focus on fundraising and grant applications, we are faring better than expected a year ago and are quietly confident that we will continue to do so. We've had to make some tough decisions around our reduced budget but we believe in the value of our work and the need for it to continue. We are immensely grateful for everyone's support and hope it will continue as we work towards our vision of a healthy and thriving Tai Poutini. Thank you, with appreciation for all your help - ngā mihi maioha Robin Long, Chair, West Coast Penguin Trust, August 2024  

Click here for the Annual Report

And find all the highlights of the year and our thanks to all those who are helping us continue our work.

   

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

     

With blood in its mouth and dog tracks all around it, the Department of Conservation (DOC) assumes that this little blue penguin or kororā was killed by a dog last week at Serpentine beach.

With blood in its mouth and dog tracks all around it, the Department of Conservation (DOC) assumes that this little blue penguin or kororā was killed by a dog last week at Serpentine beach. This should be a season of good news as penguins are starting their breeding season. Instead, DOC and the West Coast Penguin Trust are asking all dog owners to keep dogs under close control at the beach at all times and always out of the vegetated areas.  Close control means that there is absolutely no doubt that they will return to you immediately that they are called, leaving anything of interest whether another dog, human, curious smell, food (perhaps toxic) or wildlife. In fact, that request goes to all beach users. West Coast Penguin Trust Manager, Inger Perkins, says everyone can help. “It may be that dog owners are visiting the area and have no idea that there may be penguins present. It can’t hurt to say hello and just note that there may be penguins present so keeping dogs under close control and out of the dunes is important.  Also, from dusk to dawn, dogs should be on a lead as penguins could be coming and going across the beach. “Kororā are the smallest of all penguins, standing just 30cm tall.  They are vulnerable to a variety of threats.  Your darling dog might just want to play, with no malice at all, but unfortunately the necks of penguins cannot withstand the jaws or a playful shake of a dog of any size.” With assistance from DOC, the West Coast Penguin Trust has been recording reports of dead penguins since 2006.  The location and, where possible, the cause of death is added to a database.  The results are clear: 56% of the penguin deaths were due to vehicles on our coastal roads while 19% were killed by dogs. Penguin protection fences along the Coast Road north of Punakaiki and north of Hokitika, are keeping penguins safe on the sea side of roads and the proportion of penguins killed on the roads has reduced significantly since the fences were installed.  However, there are other places where penguins will venture onto roads.  If you’re travelling at night, it will be safer for you and give penguins more of a chance if you drive a little slower and allow a bigger gap when following another vehicle. When it comes to dogs, the proportion of penguins killed by dogs has remained at around 19-20% of all reported penguin deaths.  You will probably have seen signs at beach access points reminding us that penguins, as well as seals and other native wildlife, nest, rest and feed in the beach area.  The shared advice from district councils, DOC and the Penguin Trust is to stay at least 20m, or four car lengths away, from any wildlife.  Dog owners are encouraged to keep dogs on leads after dark and before dawn, and at all times in the dunes and coastal scrub where penguins could be nesting. Ms Perkins, says: “Sadly, encouragement is not always enough and if we have shared this message once, we have shared it a thousand times, and yet sadly here we are again.” Senior Biodiversity Ranger at DOC in Greymouth, Darrell Haworth, explained: “It is an offence if you’re the owner, or person in charge of a dog that attacks protected wildlife and that dog kills wildlife or injures them so badly they have to be destroyed to end suffering.  Anyone convicted of such a charge can be sentenced to prison for up to 12 months, be fined up to $10,000, or both. “But before looking at compliance options, why not think of the dog?  A dog that is allowed to roam is not only a risk to wildlife but also to itself and road users if it wanders on to a road.  Keeping your dog safe and secure at home, and under effective and close control when out walking or hunting, just makes sense.” Ms Perkins added that penguins could be around at any time of year. “We are approaching the breeding season for kororā as they sort out nests in anticipation of egg laying later this month.  However, penguins could be using the beach you share with them at any time of year.  You might see their tracks heading out to sea before the next tide washes footprints away.” As the breeding season begins, DOC staff are likely to visit areas where penguins and other wildlife might be at risk from dogs, Darrell Haworth says. “We’re keen to ensure the message is clear before we do so, to avoid having to potentially issue any infringement notices. “Don’t take dogs where they are prohibited and ensure that you always have effective control of your dog - effective control means that your dog will immediately return to you when called.” DOC has some advice to help dog owners be more responsible when exercising dogs at the beach:

• Walk on the wet sand: you’ll be more likely to avoid wildlife
• Feet on sand, lead in hand: always have your lead handy in case you need to keep your dog close)
• Keep your dog on a lead near wildlife and stay four car lengths (20m) away, and
• Help ’em out, give a shout (let other beach goers know when wildlife is present).

DOC has more information on its website.: www.doc.govt.nz/dogs-on-beaches

A simple plastic mesh fence is saving penguin lives on the West Coast, keeping little penguins, kororā, safely on the sea side of the Great West Coast Road near Punakaiki.

A simple plastic mesh fence is saving penguin lives on the West Coast, keeping little penguins, kororā, safely on the sea side of the Great West Coast Road near Punakaiki. The conservation status of these smallest of penguins is At Risk – Declining.  When the West Coast Penguin Trust started out life in 2006, their first goal was to find out whether, and if so why, little penguin numbers were declining in this region.  Stoats were believed to pose a threat, as they do for most native birds, so the Trust’s first project was to monitor breeding success in colonies with and without stoat trapping. At the same time, the Trust established a little penguin mortality database, and that, created and maintained in collaboration with the Department of Conservation ever since, has proved critical in understanding and then managing threats to these penguins. From both the breeding success monitoring and the mortality database, it quickly became clear that stoats were not a major threat at all.  Perhaps plague proportions were not seen in little penguin colonies or perhaps the feisty penguins were better able to protect themselves and their chicks than other birds; that part of the picture remains unclear. The mortality database, where every reported death of a little penguin was recorded with location and likely cause of death if known, provided the answer. Many penguins were being killed by vehicles on coast roads.  In fact, in the first eight years of record keeping, up to 68% of all reported penguin deaths were on the road, the highest proportion being in the Buller District and on the Coast Road – the state highway.  The second biggest killer, at around 19%, was dogs, generally loose dogs that had been allowed to roam freely in coastal areas.  That’s another story and one which, after years of awareness and education effort, may be improving. Within a couple of years of its inception, the Trust team started talking about a fence.  Should it be both sides with tunnels underneath so that penguins could safely nest on the inland side of the highway, where they would have nested for thousands of years?  Or could they be fenced off the road and nest sites restricted to the seaside of the fence?  There was plenty of room for penguins to nest on the seaside, so the cheaper option of a single fence was chosen. The Trust talked and talked – to DOC and to Waka Kotahi, NZ Transport Agency then – in the hope of gaining their support and funding for the project to build a fence along the highway.  Support was forthcoming but not the funding, so, with more penguins being killed every year, the Trust decided it had to make a start.  In March 2012, with the help of New Zealand Conservation Volunteers, the Trust erected a trial 100m fence just south of Punakaiki, where sadly the small little penguin colony has pretty much been erased due to deaths caused by vehicles and dogs. The new fence used a sturdy plastic geomesh manufactured for use under roads and chosen for its resistance to wear, salt and ultraviolet light.  It proved successful and durable and plans and fundraising got under way for the 2.6km section of the Coast Road where the highest number of penguins were dying. Before the 2014 breeding season was underway in July, the new fence was completed and a ceremony to officially close it was held at the beach, led by the then Buller District Mayor, Garry Howard.  A year later, a further 300m of penguin protection fence was installed over looking Seal Island, completing the protection of four colonies from vehicles and cutting road kills to zero.   There are two more parts to this story, a review of the mortality data before and after the fences were erected, but also, as the penguins began to thrive again, they started exploring further afield, and, tragically, a penguin was killed on the road in the fenced – or more accurately mostly fenced – area during the 2021 season. Firstly to the data, and the graphs tell the success story. Before the fence was installed, 56% of all reported deaths were caused by vehicles (154 of a total of 273 dead penguins for eight years).  75% of those deaths on the roads were in Buller (116), largely on the Coast Road. When compared to the six years after the fence was installed, the proportion of penguins being killed on the roads dropped to 37% (49 of 131) and half of those were in the Buller confirming the assumption that the penguin protection fence was working.

Looking at the numbers as opposed to percentages, it is clear that penguins are much better off.  Without a fence and, based on the figures before the fence was installed, it is likely that around 87 penguins would have been killed on the roads in the Buller between 2014 and 2019 but the actual number is 25.  25 too many of course, but that’s as many as 60 penguins saved over that period.

We should pause at this point to thank those who made the fence possible, providing donations, grants and in kind support, including DOC, Waka Kotahi/NZTA, Maccaferri/Geofabric, Farmlands and many wonderful individuals.  The value of the fence in 2014 money was in the region of $60,000, a massive project for the small Trust. And now to the next chapter.  Sadly, the main 2.6km fence was built with three big gaps.  Four bach owners occupying legal road managed by Waka Kotahi did not want the fence installed close to their baches.  This was beyond the comprehension of the Trust team.  If you enjoy living or holidaying in such a fabulous coastal location, surely the wildlife would be part of that experience.  But at the time, the main colony areas were protected and the fence was doing its job. Until 2021.  As the penguins thrived with the penguin protection fence behind them, numbers appeared to be growing.  And as populations grow, they spread out.  After the report of a penguin being killed on the road beside one of the gaps, the Trust knew that the time had come to fill the gaps in the fence.  Two of the baches next door to each other had changed hands in the intervening years and the new owners were only too happy to support penguin protection. With annual support from Waka Kotahi NZTA to help maintain the fence, that funding was redirected in 2023 and WestReef were able to complete a new section of penguin fence near Limestone Creek before the 2023 little penguin season was underway.  This was just as well as we subsequently heard that penguins had been rescued from the road in that area the previous year. Read about that 2023 section of fence here. The Trust then focussed on a gap towards the southern end of the main fence and that was completed, again with funding from Waka Kotahi NZTA and undertaken by WestReef, before the 2024 breeding seaseon. Read about the 2024 section of fence here. There is one more part of the picture to share.  When the invaluable mortality database was established, locations of dead penguins were recorded as text and it was clear where most penguins were being killed.  With assistance from a very courageous volunteer, making sense of often very confusing records –  entries like ‘just past green shed’ or using local names that weren’t on topo maps was challenging! – the Trust has transposed the locations to grid references and from there to geographic information that can be displayed on digital maps. The data layer can be brought into any map system and the Trust is sharing it with council planners to inform all aspects of the planning process, whether for new plans or consent applications. Having a very visual data set, showing the locations of around 450 dead little penguins – and sadly growing, is also enabling the Trust to review the worst sections of roads and perhaps consider new fences. In sharing this success story and hope for the future, the Trust also needs to share a plea.  Sadly, grants from DOC seem to be a thing of the past as their funding is reduced for a variety of reasons.  The Trust has relied on DOC over most of its seventeen years for around 50% of its costs to operate, with the balance coming from grants and donations.  An equivalent amount to the earlier DOC grants comes from volunteers and in kind support, so that every dollar from DOC resulted in $3 of penguin conservation. Without DOC support, new funding will need to be found to avoid reducing the Trust’s operation.  We have an ongoing campaign to maintain the important work that we do, including research, practical conservation projects, education, awareness and advocacy. Our vision is that West Coast seabirds and their habitat are healthy and thriving.  We need you to help us continue to work towards that vision.  If you can help, please go to our ‘donate’ page to donate by credit card or bank payment.  Thank you for your support.

With penguins apparently thriving on the seaside of the penguin protection fence north of Punakaiki, they were exploring further afield and a gap in the fence urgently needed filling after a penguin was killed on the road there and others have been seen on the edge of the road.

With penguins apparently thriving on the seaside of the penguin protection fence north of Punakaiki, they were exploring further afield and a gap in the fence urgently needed filling after a penguin was killed on the road there and others have been seen on the edge of the road. Funding and support from Waka Kotahi NZTA and support and action from Westreef enabled a new section of fence to be installed this week, in time to protect little penguins - kororā as we approach the new breeding season.

  This only happened with a lot of work behind the scenes over a couple of years.  The gap wasn't critical when the main fence was installed in 2014 but has become so and we are thrilled that the work started and should be completed this week. The penguin protection fence has saved the lives of dozens of little penguins since it was installed, with several penguins a year dying on that stretch of road before the fence went up.

This was the second big gap to have been filled in as many years and we are very grateful to the team at Westreef for getting it done both times in the window between breeding seasons. Maintenance is always needed due to vegetation grown or slips for example.  You can help by alerting us to any issues and also ensuring the self-closing sprung gates are not stuck open.  Although a few escape hatches have been incorporated into the fence just in case a penguin finds itself on the wrong side, we'd rather they were kept safely on the sea side of the fence. Funding is also needed to maintain the fence and to work on projects like this that take up a lot of time - your donations are always welcome and help us to make projects like this work.  Thank you for your support!

Donate now

Students take direct conservation action by building and installing nest boxes at a colony near Greymouth.

Westland High School conservation students have been taking direct conservation action by building and then installing nest boxes at a colony near Greymouth.  The conservation class, led by Deputy Principal, Peter Brailsford, have been exploring the threats to and needs of penguins locally. One project sought to help penguins up an erosion bank to their nest site near Hokitika (find that story here) and the latest project involved building new nest boxes and installing them in the Camerons coastal area near Greymouth.

 

The West Coast Penguin Trust's education programme supports teachers to take students on a voyage of discovery, learning about the smallest penguin in the world whose ancestors have been sharing our beaches for some three million years before we arrived.  (Read about fossil little penguins here.)

Having learned about the biology of little penguins or kororā, students go on to explore the situation locally and consider what threats there might be to the survival of this threatened species in their back yard.  The next step will be to consider taking action! These conservation students are helping provide shelter for kororā.  In the coastal area north of the Taramakau River mouth, erosion over the years has lost nesting habitat and the Guardians of Taramakau and Paroa Coastal Area Trust have installed nest boxes as well as carry out rat and stoat trapping there.  New nest boxes will mean that the penguin colony could grow, which will be both exciting and useful as we hope to expand the kororā monitoring and research programme there. Huge thanks to the students and their wonderful teacher, Peter.  Great job team, and such a perfect day for it!