Night time monitoring of penguins

Little Blue penguin colonies around Mount Maunganui are continuing to be monitored for oil more than eight months since the Rena first hit the Astrolabe Reef.

The Mount Penguin Monitoring Group are dedicating at least two nights a week for the next two years to scouring Mauao, Moturiki (Leisure Island) and Motuotau (Rabbit Island) for penguins – checking their weight, condition, behaviour and breeding patterns.


Corrie Taylor marking a penguin so it is not weighed twice.

The group's findings are given to Massey University where a study is being undertaken to determine the long term effects of the oil spill on penguins.

Penguins captured during the Rena spill were microchipped, along with a control group of unaffected penguins, so information can be compared between the two groups.

Group leader Dave Richards says the group formed during the Rena disaster and worked every night during the peak of the oil spill to rescue hundreds of oiled birds from the area.

Now, the team are dedicated to tracking the welfare of the birds and their future progress.

'We're passionate about wildlife. It's a long term thing, we're just going to take our time, just slowly work away and try cover each area once every two weeks.”

Dave says there is currently an estimated 1400 Little Blue penguins on the three islands – of which 580 are microchipped.

Group member and penguin researcher Julia Graham says the penguins appear healthy and strong.

Julia's anticipating breeding season, when she will find out whether the oil has affected the penguin's breeding patterns.

'What we'll be doing in summer is focusing on some nests where the parents have been oiled; that's a key element to the study – to see if survival rates have been affected by the oiling.”

They are a beautiful bird and it's a joy to be a part of their recovery from the tragic oil spill, she says.

Dave and Julia would appreciate any donations of head-torches, batteries or funding for equipment.

They are also looking for more volunteers, if you would like to help out phone Dave on 021 719 622 or search ‘Mount Penguin Monitoring' on Facebook.

Dave says he would like to know of any dead penguins found from Waihi to Maketu so he can scan the bird to check if they're microchipped and determine the cause of death.


Julia Graham weighing a penguin.


Penguin monitors looking for penguins.


Penguins are scanned to search for microchips.


Dave Richards recording data for Massey University.

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9 comments

leave

Posted on 19-05-2012 08:45 | By Capt_Kaveman

them alone and let them get on with thier life just do gooders thinking they are doing us a favor


Untitled

Posted on 19-05-2012 13:52 | By whatsinaname

soon there will be no penguins and then who is to blame. These people tht will NOT leave them alone. I agree with Capt kaveman. LEAVE THEM alone and let them get on with their life. How would they react if something came and intereupted thre enviorment and stuck tags on there ears etc etc..........


Posted on 19-05-2012 18:27 | By BekkiR

I'm a part of this team and we are doing our best to disturb them as little as possible. We have people who have worked with penguins and other wildlife for years and we only want whats best for them. so I don't see how what we are doing is a problem.


Random comments

Posted on 19-05-2012 22:52 | By birdo

Perhaps the two previous posters are unaware of the ongoing studies of penguins throughout New Zealand in which the results show negligible harm to penguins upon human observation, handling and study. There are penguins marked up to ten years ago on Mauao still in top health. Time to appreciate the efforts to defend our native birds from corporate bigwigs seeking to discredit our entire rehabilitation process as a waste of time, as these companies will be the ones with the penguin's extinct [oily] blood on their hands.


Hey birdo

Posted on 20-05-2012 07:37 | By Hector

I am all for helping our Native birds, but does that mean you are ok with the irradication of the Black Swan, Canadian Geese, problem. If so I am only to happy to help, and am also prepared to work through the night to do my bit for conservation!!!!


Good work.....

Posted on 20-05-2012 14:03 | By yikes61

Kapt_kaveman, how about volunteering for an evening to learn what these people are actually doing as opposed to showing ignorance sat on your arse with your comments. These volunteers are giving up their time, supplying their own equipment (headtorches etc), so that information documented can be used longterm by wildlife organisations to better understand ecological effects. We were unfortunate to have the Rena hit the astrolabe and the insurance co and Government (Bridges take note) have washed their hands of ongoing funding into the effects of the Rena on local native wildlife. Its now left to dedicated volunteers supplying their own equipment to carry on the necessary work.


To Capt Kaveman and Hector

Posted on 20-05-2012 23:01 | By penguinPWR

Capt Kaveman as a member of the monitoring team I am appalled that you dare to class yourself as a penguin and that you think I am trying to do YOU a favor (re-read your comment). I work for the penguins, who are wonderful, intelligent, feisty creatures. I do not do favors for Kavemen.


Protecting our world

Posted on 21-05-2012 10:26 | By Tim Short

It's been a privelege and an honour to be involved since the Rena hit with recovery and ongoing monitoring. Whenever mankind has a negative effect on the environment, it is our duty to do what we can to mitigate these effects - as an insurance for the future. To wash our hands and say, what will be will be, is not an option.


To Whatsinaname

Posted on 22-05-2012 12:21 | By penguinPWR

Something did come and interrupt the penguins environment, its called oil - thick, black, sticky oil. And while the pretty, sandy beaches were being sifted for the odd miniscule blob so they looked pretty for the locals and tourists, I was crawling through thick black pools of it saving penguins from the areas you couldnt see. The team was also largely responsible for the cleaning of the rocks in those areas. They scrubbed oil all day and then saved penguins at night. What did you do? When there are no penguins left, it will not be me or the team that is to blame, but the ignorant people who stood by and said "leave them alone" while native bird populations decline and die out. Oh, and to Hector - more than happy to join you on your invasive black swan culling campaign.


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