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From our scientist, Hiltrun Ratz, PhD
scientist@penguins.org.nz |
She is a girl called Thor - named as a chick when we did not know her sex - and she is becoming an amazing mum: this year she's got two chicks and they are doing very well although they did need a course of antibiotics for the Diphtheria, but they lived and are thriving. Can you spot the second chick behind mum?
Those of you who have been following our penguin stories for a while will remember Jackson. He is Bequette's brother and he has a much older male partner. As they are unable to lay eggs - obviously - but make super parents, we get them into the habit of incubating dummy eggs and if we need parents for eggs for whatever reason, they are available. This year they have two chicks again and neither chick got Diphtheria - yet but they are getting big and it's a joy to witness. The boys are doing us proud yet again this year.
She was Mum to PinguPingu last year and she lost her mate - but fortunately her neighbour was solo so they hooked up and made two beautiful babies. Unfortunately one of them did not make it, so they are now raising this little fluffball and doing very well, as evidenced by the rather protruding belly of the chick.
This is one of our newest mum's in our colony and she has not only scored a male, her box was sponsored "Lesley's Retreat", she herself is now sponsored - and to top it all off, she has a gorgeous wee chick - here already big enough to stick its head out from under mum. This brand-new family is doing well!
Morgan was the first to have eggs and now one of his chicks is now big enough for us to see it poking out from behind dad's bum. Penguin chicks need to be kept warm by the parents for about three weeks because their feathers are not dense enough yet to go without the parent's warm brood pouch.
The chicks have been busy hatching in our colonies but they start out so tiny that it is near impossible to get photos of them. Here, Bruce stood up and let us have a wee look at his chicks. His mate Chicky is out at sea getting provisions. These chicks will grow quickly and we are checking them all regularly for Diphtheria (and treat them when they get sick). They live in Casa Lola.
are now for sale. They are NZ$20 including postage but feel free to donate a little extra to cover the cost of sending it. These are all photos taken of the yellow-eyed penguins living in Moeraki and 100% of the proceeds go to their conservation.
This sponsored box has a brand new family in it with neither parent having bred before. Fortunately only one of their two eggs is expected to hatch - much better to ease into parenthood with just the one chick rather than two for this young couple. We will of course keep a close eye on them to see how they are getting.
No change for this pair as well. This box was sponsored many years ago now and the writing has not faded, so we will be reporting on this pair again this season. It is the same pair as last year and they had a couple of very photogenic chicks. We are expecting both eggs to hatch again this year - any day now!
This sponsored box is used again this season with the same pair moving back in. They have a couple of eggs that we are expecting to hatch but they were one of the last pairs to lay so the chicks are not due until about mid November. Welcome back, you two!
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