The Trust’s local tawaki rangers monitored nests at three sites in South Westland during the 2020 tawaki breeding season, Knight’s Point, Jackson Head West and Gorge River, to establish breeding success. Monitoring discontinued when chicks left the nest to creche. Crèche areas were checked for signs of predation. Many of these nests also had trail […]
During the update of our education resource, this question, often put to us by children, came up to be answered. Education Ranger, Lucy Waller read that a special protein found in the eyes of birds, ‘Cry4’ might detect blue light so they can see the magnetic field of the earth, but it is not known […]
Come and join us for an update on our projects and a talk entitled ‘World of Penguins’ from Kerry-Jayne Wilson MNZM. Postponed by a year due to lockdown, we hope that this evening of illustrated talks will not be affected by high alert levels. The talks will be at the Tai Poutini Polytechnic lecture theatre […]
Tawaki (Fiordland crested penguin) monitoring for the 2020 season found low stoat and rodent presence but some impact on breeding success due to stoat predation. Monitoring of breeding at tawaki nests occurred at the three sites with ten nests at each site being monitored by cameras and those and additional nests receiving a fortnightly visit. […]
Recently, we were invited to comment when DOC shared the sad story about the deaths of two tawaki, attributed to loose dogs at Jackson Bay/Jackson Head in South Westland. It was an opportunity to focus on the key messages for dogs in relation to penguins on the West Coast, particularly when speaking to National Radio. […]
A rare tawaki or Fiordland crested penguin is thought to have been killed by a dog at a Haast wildlife refuge and DOC is asking pet owners to ensure their animals are under control and kept out of prohibited areas. A dog was seen running loose in the Okahu/Jackson Bay Wildlife Refuge and a short […]
End of spring update from the coastline Blue Penguin Breeding: Monitoring from Punaikaiki to Cape Foulwind is showing a good breeding season. Numbers of breeding pairs is similar to last year, with the exception of 2 pairs re-establishing at our Punakaiki monitored site, where the colony appeared to have been lost. Two chick nests are […]
An injured tawaki was reported to DOC, who picked it up and took it to the local West Coast vets in Hokitika. The penguin needed stitches for a wound to the abdomen and then he or she, was taken to rehabilitator, Tracy Johnston-Coates for care until well enough for release. The penguin was named Falcon […]
Tawaki Ranger, Robin Long, went searching for Fiordland crested penguins a couple of months ago and reports on her adventure. Our plan was to survey for Fiordland crested penguins or tawaki along a remote stretch of the Stewart Island coast by kayak. As for last year, I was assisted by Simon Litchwark and we were […]
Blue penguins, only as tall as a 30cm ruler that every student will have in their tool kit, have been killed on coast roads since the roads were built through their nesting areas but some are now helping biology students in their studies. When penguins have been found dead on West Coast roads, they will […]
