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From our scientist, Hiltrun Ratz, PhD
scientist@penguins.org.nz |
Some yellow-eyed penguin chicks travel north on their big OE after fledging and this year we had a special wee boy from Glory Bay on Stewart Island dropping in for a top-up. The poor chap only weighed 3kg and was fighting an infection. He got his meds and lots of food and was on his way again - north or south towards home? Maybe one day we will find out if he is recorded again. For now, good luck, little buddy, find them fish!
These two are on a mission to go fishing in the morning just as it is getting light. To get some images of our penguins we put out trail cameras last week to see if we could catch them doing stuff..... It is a hit and miss whether you get anything and/or the penguins were doing stuff. Not many penguins were around and were only really walking from here to there like this one that stopped to have a pooh for you all! The penguins are not around very much - so we don't get to see them either! The odd one here and there that has returned home early might be hanging about in the forest, but for the rest, they stay at sea or return after we have gone home. This is all normal - but does provide much for FB.......There is no reason to believe anything is amiss: it's winter, and it's normal.
Our most delightful guest got his micro-chip and was released after completing his moult. He was a pleasure to care for, but he was not well. He came back positive for Malaria and we wonder if he picked it up here on the South Island. We hope so, the alternative is that Malaria made it to his home island, probably Antipodes Island, and that is not good news. He certainly did not waste any time to head away! We don't get to see the penguins much these days. During the day they are out fishing and even in the evenings not many come ashore. This is normal behaviour and we delighted with the condition of the penguins. They appear to be doing just fine!
This wee girl is a chick from this past season, raised by Odd Simen and Butterbell and she has come back. She was not feeling very well and was a little on the skinny side but she clearly had learnt how to catch fish. She had an infection she was treated for, was released but was back within a a week with a sore throat. She remembered how to eat nicely and after she was well again, she was released again. The main thing is she knows how to catch fish and she knows where to go when she is feeling unwell. See you round, little one! And well done.
We don't see so many of these and when we do they are usually in trouble. These wee guy came to us in early May and was not only in an unsafe place but really, really late with his moult. They are such gentle creatures and so polite. Please excuse the wobbles in the video, it ain't easy to manoeuvre a fish into the bird while also holding a camera!! is Pompey's mate and where they bred they are unfortunately exposed to careless dog owners. The chicks tend to hide in the bushes and were safe, but we found Harry on the foreshore and so collected him up for his own safety to moult in rehab. The plan was to find Pompey as well and bring her in, but we never found her. Chances are she moulted somewhere else - she does tend to wander a bit.
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