Peka Peka penguin in critical condition after too much sand

The emperor penguin's operation draws
a crowd at Wellington Zoo.
Photo credit: @WellingtonZoo on Twitpic

NEW ZEALAND - The emperor penguin who swam 4000km from Antarctica to Kapiti's Peka Peka Beach is now in Wellington Zoo's hospital recovering from operations to remove sand from its stomach and oesophagus.

The penguin, nicknamed Happy Feet, was spotted at the beach on Monday 20 June. It was taken to the zoo on Friday after the Department of Conservation (DOC) rangers monitoring it noticed its behaviour had changed and it was showing signs of ill health.

On an initial examination, Wellington Zoo veterinary staff said the penguin was dehydrated and suffering from heat exhaustion, and appeared to have a blockage in its throat, which x-rays later showed was sand.

DOC biodiversity manager Peter Simpson told the Dominion Post that the bird had probably been eating sand in an effort to cool down, as penguins normally eat snow if they become too hot.

The penguin has subsequently undergone two procedures, one on Friday and one on Saturday, to flush the sand out of its system, but there is still a lot more sand to come out. The Sunday Star Times reported that the operation on Saturday was watched by about 100 people behind a glass partition. 

The bird is currently recovering from its operations in a special cold room "complete with shaved ice and air conditioning", the zoo tweeted. "Yep he is munching on ice."

The latest tweet said the penguin had survived another night and will spend another day "chilling out" in its cold room. In a previous tweet the zoo said the bird may undergo another procedure on Monday.

Zoo veterinarian Lisa Argilla told the Sunday Star Times that the 3kg of sand threatened to harden into concrete balls that could rupture its stomach. It was still in critical condition, despite the surgery.

Meanwhile, if the penguin survives, it may have a way back home - Dr Gareth Morgan of Gareth Morgan Investments has offered the penguin a free sea passage back to Antarctica on a Russian icebreaker. The "Our Far South" expedition leaves in February 2012 and expedition leader Dr Morgan has offered a berth for the penguin and its DOC minder.

"[T]he penguin would be able to look out for its friends en route and given the option to jump ship if it spots some of its kin," said Dr Morgan.

"Of course until that time Happy Feet will have to be cared for here in Wellington, where we’re lucky enough to have a great community of wildlife experts, capable not just of pumping sand but also ensuring this wayfaring fellow is hosted appropriately until it’s time to set sail."

DOC had said on Wednesday (when the penguin still appeared healthy and happy at the beach) that they were leaving the penguin to its own devices and that returning it to Antarctica was not feasible because there is no transport there in the winter and it is currently dark 24 hours of the day.

"DOC is not planning to move the penguin," said Mr Simpson at the time. "There is no reason to shift a healthy animal to an artificial environment or return it to the sea ... when the penguin wants to swim it will take to the water itself. We are letting nature take its course."

Now that the penguin is ill and has required human intervention, I wonder if DOC's stance on transporting it back to Antarctica will change.

Fingers crossed for a safe recovery (and hopefully a return to the wild) for this adventurous bird! 

Read previous post: Emperor penguin a rare treat for New Zealanders

Sources
From Kiwisaver to penguin-saver by Susan Pepperell, 26 June 2011, Sunday Star Times
@WellingtonZoo on Twitter, last accessed 10:30am, 26 June 2011 (NZ time)
Expedition leader offers to return Happy Feet to Antarctica, 25 June 2011, Dr Gareth Morgan
Penguin strong but given 50/50 chance by Kay Blundell, 24 June 2011, Michelle Duff, The Dominion Post and Stuff
Emperor penguin's health being monitored, 24 June 2011, Department of Conservation
Emperor penguin faring well, 22 June 2011, Department of Conservation 

Emperor penguin visit a rare treat for New Zealanders

NEW ZEALAND - Kapiti Coast residents have been treated to a rare visitor from Antarctica: an emperor penguin.

It is only the second time that an emperor penguin has been recorded in New Zealand. The first was back in 1967 at Southland's Oreti Beach.

It is not known why this Antarctic dweller is visiting New Zealand shores.

"It's amazing to see one of these penguins on the Kapiti Coast," said Department of Conservation (DOC) biodiversity spokesperson Peter Simpson.

"Unusual animals from the Antarctic sometimes visit our shores, but we really don't know why."

DOC was alerted to the penguin's presence after being contacted by Kapiti resident Christine Wilton, who was walking her dog on Monday afternoon at Peka Peka Beach.

"I saw this glistening white thing standing up and I thought I was seeing things," Ms Wilton said.

When rangers from DOC's Waikanae office investigated, they saw what looked like a big white ball in the sand. The penguin, later confirmed as a juvenile, stood up, looking quite relaxed and in good condition. It stands at about 1 metre tall.

DOC has advised that people should not disturb the penguin and ensure that dogs are kept on leads in the area. Penguins can give vicious bites if they feel threatened. DOC have asked members of the public to contact them if they see the emperor penguin on another beach.

If left alone it is expected that the bird will eventually swim back out to sea. I hope New Zealand's imperial visitor decides to stick around for a while though! 

Watch video of Kapiti's emperor penguin at Stuff.co.nz

Source
Emperor penguin visits the Kapiti Coast, 21 June 2011, Department of Conservation

Uruguayan penguin deaths attributed to natural causes

URUGUAY - Autopsies performed on some of the 600-plus Magellanic penguins washed up on Uruguayan beaches have pointed to death by natural causes rather than "chemical intoxication", MercoPress reported.

Intoxication from the agricultural chemicals used the area had been considered as one of the possible causes of the penguins' deaths.

Daniel Gilardoni, head of Uruguay's Natural Aquatic Resources Administration, told MercoPress that Argentine scientists who performed the autopsies have for now discarded chemical intoxication as a cause of death, the reason being that most of the dead penguins are juveniles.

“If it had been intoxication, the dead penguins should have been of all ages and sex, but that is not the case,” he said.

He added that at this time of the year almost a million penguins migrate along the Uruguayan Atlantic coast, and this number includes anywhere between 500,000 and 700,000 juveniles.

“This fact makes us believe that natural causes have been the reason for penguins’ deaths."

Read related post: Mysterious deaths of hundreds of penguins in Uruguay 

Source
Dead penguins discovered in Uruguayan coast: perished of "natural causes", 18 June 2011, MercoPress

Climate change may increase fire-related risks for little penguins

Little penguins on Phillip Island.
Photo credit: Marcus Frieze.
Some rights reserved.

AUSTRALIA - Climate change may lead to an increased risk of death and injury by fire for Phillip Island's little penguins, says the Australian Federal Government.

The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency has released a series of fact sheets about the impacts of climate change in Australia - and unfortunately little penguins get a special mention.

The factsheet for Victoria says that little penguins on Phillip Island have been shown to be particularly vulnerable to fire over the past few years, and it is predicted that weather-related fires will become more frequent.

In coastal regions, misty rain or fog following long spells of hot, dry and dusty weather can result in the ignition of power pole cross arms. This is due to a build up of salt and dust on the insulators; the red-hot salt crust can fall from the pole and ignite vegetation at its base. In recent years, a number of such fires have occurred on Phillip Island, resulting in death or injury of a large number of penguins.

As it is projected that climate change will mean an increase in the occurrence of hot, dry and dusty weather, the Government says Phillip Island's little penguins may therefore face an increased risk of fire-related death and injury.

Source
Climate change impacts in Australia - Victoria, 14 June 2011, Australian Government Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency

Sad news as penguin with "puppet parent" dies

UK - Sadly, the macaroni penguin chick at Living Coasts in Torquay, Devon, whose keepers were using a glove puppet to feed it has died.

The chick's unusual meal time routine made headlines worldwide earlier this month. Keepers had decorated the glove so that it resembled an adult macaroni penguin, with the idea that the chick wouldn't get too used to humans.

Exhibit manager Clare Rugg told the Press Association, "Keepers reported that the youngster ate less than usual on Sunday and had lost a bit of weight.

"On Monday morning, it was off its food, the vet was called, it was given rehydration fluid and critical care. But it sadly died later in the day."

Living Coasts' director, Elaine Hayes, said, "Working with animals has its ups and downs, and this is definitely a down."

Read related post: Puppet parent for abandoned chick

Source
Penguin chick fed by keepers' puppet at Devon Zoo dies, 15 June 2011, BBC News

Starving little penguins dot Warrnambool beaches

AUSTRALIA - Dozens of starving little penguins have washed up on beaches in Warrnambool, Victoria, in the past few weeks reports The Standard.

Many of the penguins have been rescued, but die soon after.

"They are very thin when we get them," Wildlife Victoria's regional co-ordinator, Trecey Wilson, who has rescued 20 penguins in the past four weeks and knows of other carers who have also rescued birds, told The Standard.

"All have died within 12 hours of being found by beachgoers and brought in. I think it's definitely malnutrition."

She said there could be many issues involved in why they would be starving. There were suggestions that recent migrations of blue whales close to the shore and an influx of southern blue fin tuna and shearwaters, all of which prey on some of the same food as little penguins, could have caused a decrease in prey availability in the south-west.

Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Group co-ordinator Kristie King told The Standard, "I tend to think it's something to do with ocean conditions and food availability."

Sadly, it sounds to me like La Nina strikes again.

Source
Questions and concern over starving penguins by Peter Collins, The Standard, 13 June 2011

Mysterious deaths of hundreds of penguins in Uruguay

URUGUAY - The Associated Press has reported that about 600 dead Magellanic penguins have washed up on Uruguay's Atlantic coast. Experts are now trying to find out the cause of death.

A statement released by the Uruguay navy on Tuesday 7 June said that 200 dead penguins had been discovered on the shore at La Paloma. The officers had come across the dead penguins during a routine ocean patrol and alerted environmental authorities.

Marine animal rescue group SOS Rescate Fauna Marina said that 400 dead penguins had washed up around the resort town of Piriapolis along with dead turtles, dolphins and albatrosses over the weekend of 4 June. La Republica reported that the group had raised the possibility that Fertox, a highly toxic insecticide, was connected to their deaths. Nearly a thousand bags of Fertox had been found on the coast near Piriapolis. The group's co-ordinator, Richard Treasury, said that while it was not 100 per cent sure the animals died because of the chemicals, 12 of the animals rescued exhibited symptoms of poisoning such as dilated pupils and the inability to stand or walk.

While government authorities are investigating the possibility that Ferox is responsible, they say it is unlikely that the chemical is connected with the deaths. Director of the National Environmental Management, Jorge Rusks, told La Republica that the department could not say for certain at this point that the poison had no effect on the animals, but that is is very unlikely their deaths were due to its presence. He said it was more likely the deaths were because of natural causes.

According to the Associated Press, experts say it is common for dead penguins to appear in the area at this time of year, but this year the number is unusually high.

Sources
Misterio en la muerte de pingüinos y tortugas, 8 June 2011, La Republica
Uruguay: Cause sought for 600 dead penguins, 7 June 2011, Associated Press
Hundreds of dead penguins wash up on Uruguay shore by Alex Johnston, 7 June 2011, Epoch Times