Wellington Zoo takes the lead to help wild little blue penguins

NEW ZEALAND - Wellington Zoo and Forest & Bird’s Wellington Branch have joined forces on a targeted campaign to help protect the shy native birds that share our coastline – little blue penguins (also known as Kororā).

“Hundreds of Kororā call Wellington home, but lots of people don’t actually know about them or see them,” said Daniela Biaggio, Wellington Zoo Conservation Manager.

Dogs, however, can easily sniff out these strong smelling little birds – which can be bad news for little blue penguins, as research has shown that dogs off leash are one of the major threats to their survival.

Support for world’s smallest penguin

NEW ZEALAND  – The little blue penguin – the world’s smallest – is one of several West Coast seabirds that will receive support as part of the Community Conservation Partnership Fund’s support for West Coast conservation projects, said Associate Conservation Minister Nicky Wagner.

“The $98,000 investment will help the West Coast Penguin Trust conduct research and carry out practical projects to protect blue penguins and other West Coast seabirds,” Ms Wagner said.

“As well as the blue penguin, the investment will help to conserve the Fiordland crested penguins and other threatened seabirds and habitat on the West Coast.

“Projects include roadside fences to protect penguins from traffic, GPS logging of penguin feeding expeditions, education programmes, and studying seabirds and predator species in new locations for potential pest eradication and habitat restoration.”

Other West Coast conservation projects that will receive funding are the Mokihinui Biodiversity Enhancement Project, the Kawatiri River Trail Boardwalks, the Paparoa Wildlife Trust and the Okarito Community Nursery.

“Together, these projects will be a welcome boost for conservation on the West Coast,” Ms Wagner said.

Source
Support for the world's smallest penguin [press release], New Zealand Government, 18 September 2015, Scoop.co.nz

Over $15,000 raised for yellow-eyed penguins

NEW ZEALAND - The Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust will employ a researcher to find out why yellow-eyed penguin numbers are decreasing near Stewart Island, following a $15,335 funding boost from Real Journeys ‘Cruise-for-a-Cause’ initiative.

In the last twelve years, the number of penguin breeding pairs has almost halved on Codfish Island/Whenua Hou near Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust (YEPT) needed external funding to help find out why this was occurring on a predator-free island.

New fossil skulls reveal insights about penguin brain evolution

ANTARCTICA - When they're not being the stars of various animated movies, penguins are playing an important role in evolutionary studies. Penguins are unique among modern birds in that they 'fly' through the water. Although flightless in air, penguins have a number of adaptations which allow them glide effortlessly through the water. And some of these adaptations are in an unlikely part of their anatomy - their brains. Recent finds of fossil penguins from 35 million year old sediments in Antarctica have begun to shed light on the changes in penguin brains that accompanied their transition to water.

Shifting winds and ocean currents double endangered Galapagos penguin population

Galápagos penguins. Credit: Snowmanradio on Flickr

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS – Shifts in trade winds and ocean currents powered a resurgence of Galápagos penguins over the past 30 years, according to a new study. These changes enlarged a cold pool of water the penguins rely on for food and breeding – an expansion that could continue as the climate changes over the coming decades, the study’s authors said.

The Galápagos Islands, a chain of islands 1000km west of mainland Ecuador, are home to the only penguins in the Northern Hemisphere. The 48-cm tall black and white Galápagos penguins landed on the endangered species list in 2000 after the population plummeted to only a few hundred individuals and are now considered the rarest penguins in the world.

When two penguins clans become one

AUSTRALIA - A new research project has found that two different groups of little penguins have met up to live in a colony together, despite a history of isolation.

Dr Chris Burridge, University of Tasmania Zoology lecturer, said the motivation of the research was to understand rates of movements of penguins between colonies.

The research was conducted in partnership with the University of Tasmania, Peter Dann (Phillip Island Nature Park), Amanda Peucker (Deakin University) and Craig Styan (University College London).

"The research wanted to find out things like, are individuals from this colony going to another colony to breed?  If a colony was wiped out by a predator, would penguins from other colonies come to help replenish it?" Dr Burridge said.

Seeking fish for injured yellow-eyed penguins in rehab

Julia Reid feeding yellow-eyed penguins

NEW ZEALAND - Limited fish stock remains to feed threatened yellow-eyed penguins in penguin rehabilitation centres in Otago.

The penguins have been hospitalised after suffering lacerations to their feet, legs and abdomen following attacks by barracouta, a predatory fish on the Otago coast.

A shortage of salmon smolt, which are the optimal food for hospitalised penguins, has lead to Penguin Place on Otago Peninsula and the Penguin Rescue Trust in North Otago to look for alternative fish to feed their patients.