Dogs on holiday causing penguin nightmare

NEW ZEALAND – The Department of Conservation (DOC) is asking pet owners to ensure their animals are under control and kept out of prohibited areas following the recent death of a rare tawaki (Fiordland penguin), thought to have been killed by a dog at a Haast wildlife refuge.

Recently, a dog was seen running loose in the Okahu/Jackson Bay Wildlife Refuge and a short time later, clumps of tawaki feathers were found in the coastal forest beside the Wharekai Te Kou walking track.

A tawaki penguin on another Haast beach has also been handed in by a member of the public who found it injured on the beach, with evidence of being attacked by a dog. The penguin sadly had to be put down. 

Council frustrated by more dog-related penguin deaths

NEW ZEALAND – Another dog attack in Wellington resulting in the death of two little blue penguins has highlighted the importance of careful supervision of dogs – even in off-leash exercise areas.

The most recent incident occurred in the off-leash exercise area at Houghton Bay beach on Saturday 10 June. This attack closely follows the death of a little blue penguin on Wellington’s waterfront last month.

Both attacks are a stark reminder of the need to keep all dogs on a leash where required, and strictly monitored when not, said Councillor Peter Gilberd, who holds Wellington City Council's Natural Environment Portfolio.

Dog owners prosecuted after little penguin deaths

AUSTRALIA - The Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) and the Circular Head Council have conducted a joint investigation after 18 little penguins were found dead near a rookery in Stanley on Tasmania’s North-West coast last week.

PWS state compliance coordinator Justin Helmich said the dead penguins were forensically examined and predator attack was identified as the likely cause.

“As a result of that investigation, a number of people have been interviewed and an infringement notice has been issued in respect of a number of dog control related offences,” Mr Helmich said.

Penguin colony destroyed by roaming dogs

DOC ranger Nicky Armstrong with
five of the dead penguins.
Photo credit: DOC

NEW ZEALAND - The West Coast Blue Penguin Trust is devastated after dogs killed 15 little blue penguins in a matter of days, effectively wiping out a colony in Westport.

The dead penguins were found by members of the public and the Trust’s ranger at the lighthouse end of the Cape Foulwind track. The deaths are being investigated by the NZ Department of Conservation (DOC) and local dog control officers.

The bodies were discovered only a kilometre away from a site where the Trust is trying to set up a public viewing area, where people will be able to watch the birds coming to their nests at dusk.

West Coast Blue Penguin Trust Ranger Reuben Lane says the first five penguins were taken to a local vet to confirm the cause of death.

“They all had classic puncture wounds to the head, neck, and upper body and the overwhelming conclusion was that they had died from crushing bites from a dog. Going from the information about where they were found it is almost certain a dog, or two, were roaming at night hunting penguins, giving a killing chomp and running on to the next,” he said.

West Coast Blue Penguin Trust Chair Kerry-Jayne Wilson said she is devastated.

“We have worked so hard to build up the Cape Foulwind population and early signs suggested things were looking good with prospecting birds already having visited nest boxes in the potential viewing colony.

"Out of control dogs have undone so much of our hard work, work that was recently recognised nationally with a Green Ribbon Environmental award.  This could set our Cape Foulwind project back years,” she said.

“Almost all penguins killed at this time of year will be breeding birds preparing for the breeding season that is about to begin.  These would be healthy birds in breeding condition and are the individuals that we can least afford to lose, it is these birds that have the greatest affect on the populations ability to grow.”

Authorities have had reports from the public about dogs roaming free in the area. Under the Dog Control Act the owner of a dog that attacks or kills wildlife can be fined up to NZ$3,000 and the dog can be destroyed.

Source
The darkest colony - wiped out by dogs, 27 June 2012, The Blue Penguin Trust

Heroic family save yellow-eyed penguin

Titahi the injured penguin.
Photo credit: Department
of Conservation.

NEW ZEALAND - A family who protected an injured yellow-eyed penguin from further dog attacks on a Christchurch beach have been described as heroes by the Department of Conservation (DOC).

DOC ranger Anita Spencer was called out to South Shore last month to find a family standing guard in a circle around the juvenile penguin to prevent unattended dogs getting closer.

"They had kept watch for at least 40 minutes before I arrived - they are heroes in my book," said Spencer.

The penguin, named Titahi, was taken to the Hornby Veterinary Centre and then sent to the Wildlife Health Centre at Massey University for an operation to pin its broken leg.

The surgery was successful, but Titahi now faces several months of rehabilitation before it can be released back into the wild.

Spencer said, "The vets agree that the penguin was attacked by a dog - most likely picked up by its back leg and shaken. It had injuries on its back as well."

The attack on Titahi has prompted a call for dog owners to be more responsible on beaches.

Yellow-eyed penguins nest in small numbers on Banks Peninsula, where local schools, landowners and the Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust, Christchurch City Council and DOC are doing predator-trapping to protect them.

"There are a lot of people working really hard to get penguin chicks to fledge, as the first stage of their life is usually the most dangerous time," said Spencer.

"They spend their first few years after fledging exploring the wild, feeding and coming ashore to rest before they settle down to breed. To have this juvenile mauled by a dog on its first journey into the world is really disappointing and completely avoidable."

Christchurch City Council Animal Control Team Leader Mark Vincent said that dog owners must keep their pets on leads, especially in protected areas where vulnerable wildlife is concentrated.

"It's a serious offence for a dog to harass protected wildlife, with penalties including imprisonment for the owner and fines of up to [NZ]$20,000 if wildlife is killed," he said.

Source
Family save mauled yellow-eyed penguin, 10 May 2012, Department of Conservation

Penguin deaths at Phillip Island

AUSTRALIA - Victoria's Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) is investigating the death of 27 little penguins at the Phillip Island Nature Park.

The little penguins were found at Cat Bay, Shelly Beach and the Penguin Parade Car Park yesterday. Two dead water rats were also found.

DSE Wildlife Officers are investigating the cause of death however preliminary observations of the injuries are consistent with a dog attack.

Little penguins and water rats are protected in Victoria.

If a dog attacks wildlife on public land, the owner could face fines of up to AU$3000 under the Wildlife Act 1975.

Source
Penguin deaths at Phillip Island, 10 May 2012, Department of Sustainability and Environment

Little penguin saved by belly fat

NEW ZEALAND - Many of us try to avoid carrying too much fat on our bellies, but a little penguin who survived a savage dog attack on New Plymouth's Back Beach should be grateful for his.

The bird, who suffered injuries to his abdomen, is recovering at Massey University's Wildlife Health Centre after two rounds of surgery.

Dr Brett Gartrell told the Taranaki Daily News the penguin was lucky that the dog grabbed mostly skin and fat rather than the abdomen.

''He was in good condition coming up to his moult with quite a bit of weight on. If he didn't have that fat on there would have been damage to his internal organs."

Dr Gartrell said the bird's wounds are deep and infected, but they will know in a few weeks whether he is ready to be released into the wild or will need to be placed in temporary care until he is fully recovered.

Department of Conservation marine ranger Callum Lilley told the Taranaki Daily News that the attack served as a reminder for people to control their dogs when they are at the beach. 

"People don't like to think that their dog would attack wildlife, but to a dog, its just natural behaviour.'' 

Source
Penguin attacked a Back Beach by Natalie Finnigan, 13 January 2012, Taranaki Daily News

Life's looking up for penguins Split, Apple and Rock

NEW ZEALAND - A little penguin family who lost their dad to a dog attack is doing well thanks to dedicated humans and a dedicated penguin mum.

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry veterinarian Mana Stratton and her mother Frances have been looking after the three penguins after a dog attack at Split Apple, near Kaiteriteri on the South Island, robbed the chicks of a parent and the female adult of a critical mate in October, the Nelson Mail reported.

The chicks and their dead father were found by a family, who reported the attack to the Department of Conservation (DOC) and the Tasman District Council. Once the mother returned to the nest, the penguins were brought to DOC, who took them to Ms Stratton. Penguin chicks need both parents to raise them, so the mother needed help if the chicks were to survive.

The family who rescued the penguins have visited them and the children named the birds Split, Apple and Rock.

"Rock is the adult penguin as she is the 'rock' in the chick's life," Miss Stratton told the Nelson Mail.

Ms Stratton's aim has been to give Rock enough food that she can feed Split and Apple normally by regurgitation. Rock has been such a good mum that the chicks now weight more than her, and Ms Stratton said she will need to gain more weight before she is released.

The Tasman District Council has since identified the dogs responsible for the attack. Regulatory manager Adrian Humphries told the Nelson Mail that steps had been taken to ensure it didn't happen again. The dogs' owner was horrified and had given a donation to a penguin welfare fund.

Sources
Rescued penguins blossom by Tracy Neal, Nelson Mail, 16 November 2011
Vet battles for penguins' survival by Tracy Neal, Nelson Mail, 27 October 2011

One of Manly's penguins killed by dog

AUSTRALIA - Hidden cameras will be placed at North Head in Manly, New South Wales, after a dog killed a little penguin in late August. A Taronga Zoo autopsy showed a small dog killed the penguin. The tagged 13-year-old male was was part of a breeding pair at North Head.

Source
Penguin killed by a dog at North Head, Manly Dail, 2 September 2011 

Penguin dies after dog attack

NEW ZEALAND - A little penguin was killed in a dog attack in Seaview, Lower Hutt, on the weekend.

Witness Anne Rodgers told The Hutt News that she saw a woman, who was with a man and two dogs, trying to hide the injured penguin under a bush.

"She was clearly ashamed that her dog had done that."

Mrs Rodgers called the SPCA, which took the bird to the Native Bird Rescue Trust, which in turn took it to Wellington Zoo. Unfortunately, the penguin was very badly injured and had no chance of surviving the attack.

Hutt City Animal Control manager Les Dalton told The Hutt News that a dog attack on a protected species was "very serious" and can carry penalties such as a jail sentence or a heavy fine. If the couple who were walking the dogs can be identified, the council will interview them and take appropriate action.

The witness wasn't sure which of the dogs had attacked the bird, but said that one of them was on an extendable lead. Mr Dalton said that legally an owner must have a dog under control, and a long stretchy lead offers only limited control.

He added that if a dog does attack another animal, the owner should do the "right thing" and assist the injured animal. In this case, the owner was probably deeply embarrassed, but he said that was no excuse for leaving the penguin to suffer.

Source
Penguin killed in dog attack by Nicholas Boyack, 10 May 2011, The Hutt News

Dog ban overturned in Manly

AUSTRALIA - The ban on dogs using the steps up to Federation Point has been overturned at a Manly Council meeting on Monday night, The Manly Daily reported.

The new regulation was one of several measures put in place in order to protect the little penguins' breeding area at Federation Point. It caused intense debate in Manly, with local dog owners saying that there had been no community consultation before the regulations were introduced.

The Manly Daily reported that Manly's penguin wardens had wanted dogs banned from the steps, which are near the birds’ breeding area at Federation Point, because the dogs' presence could scare the birds. The wardens said the penguins would smell dogs and this would change their behaviour, possibly even stop them from coming ashore.

Read previous posts:

• Manly's dog owners fight new bans
• "Intensive" program to protect Manly's penguins

Sources
Victory for dog owners: ban overturned by Peter Bodkin, 10 May 2011, The Manly Daily
Dog owners v wardens, round two by Peter Bodkin, 6 May 2011, The Manly Daily

Manly's dog owners fight new bans

AUSTRALIA - Manly Council's new rules on walking dogs in Manly Cove have drawn heavy criticism from dog owners, who say the controversial decision was made without consultation and that their rights have been infringed.

The rules were introduced in March in an effort to provide better protection for the area's little penguins. The council had voted unanimously in December to enforce a "zero-tolerance approach" for any dog owners caught with their pets off-leash in on-leash areas, and for dogs to be banned from the steps up to Federation Point. It was also decided that other penguin protection measures, such as the installation of CCTV cameras, would be put in place.

Local dog owners say that they want the penguins protected as much as anyone, but that the council introduced the "draconian" rules without consultation.

Manly resident and dog owner Lloyd Keen told The Manly Daily that the group of dog owners was asking for the plans to be revoked until the wider community had the chance to comment.

"We understand the need to look after the penguins but no one’s really thought this through," he said.

"Most people with dogs do all the right things. Once Manly Council gets (the rules) right, then it needs to enforce them because at the moment it doesn’t."

The Manly Daily reported that the dog owners want leashed dogs to be allowed back on Federation Steps, and unleased dogs to be allowed on the Manly Scenic Walkway near Federation Point.

Manly Mayor Jean Hay has indicated that some of the dog bans may be overturned, telling The Manly Daily that leashed dogs should again be allowed onto Federation Steps. She said banning dogs from the steps "is taking away people’s rights".

"Let’s face it, the area belongs to everyone," she said.

Read previous post: "Intensive" program to protect Manly's penguins


Sources
Dog walkers fight bans by Peter Bodkin, 22 April 2011, The Manly Daily
Penguin protectors clash with dog lovers by Peter Bodkin, 13 April 2011, The Manly Daily
Dog owners growl over penguins by Peter Bodkin, 11 April 2011, The Manly Daily
Dog ban leads to outraged dog owners by Peter Bodkin, 5 April 2011, The Manly Daily