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From our scientist, Hiltrun Ratz, PhD
scientist@penguins.org.nz |
Even our youngest chicks have pretty much lost their down. This is one of the youngest hanging about and seen closer and closer to the landing site where the parents appear from. Soon it will be her turn for the 90 day health check and we will find out if Kate is a boy or a girl......
Well one of them anyway: it looked like one of these two has left. When they were checked aged 90 days they were both good weights (5.6kg and 5.6kg) and both were girls - definitely with 133mm and 136mm heads. That's ok, we have girls called Thor and Claus, so what's in a name? The pleasure of giving it to precious and rare yellow-eyed penguin chicks!
This turns out to be probably a male: the head was 142mm which is borderline and she could be a big girl or grow into a male - the latter is more likely. His parents have done well: he weighed 6.4kg. Just a bit more fluff to go and he will be off!
One of these two is definitely a girl and one could still grow into a boy - the advantage of gender-neutral names is that it will work however the sex turns out. These two have moved to the foreshore where they are sleeping right now but it's just a hop and a skip across the beach to head out into the big blue. Soon the urge will be so strong they won't be able to resist.
She has been in rehab for a wee while now - as evidenced by the round belly. The hairdo will soon be gone and once she is about 100 days old she gets her turn for a week in the soft-release pen in the colony. That way she can meet the locals and hopefully remember where home is in case of trouble. Not just yet though, still a wee way to go.
These two chicks have clearly left home and were found hanging out where they could watch the waves roll in. One parent was also at home and all three are looking magnificent.
This chick is the youngest and still has a bit of down although that seemed to have disappeared very quickly in the last week or so. It is always very amusing how they explore their environment and even climb onto things: here onto a low hanging branch.
These are Morgan's chicks and one of them is now sponsored and called Mel. Something was up with these two and their weights had fallen so they are now both in rehab. Hopefully both Morgan and his mate are ok - we will find out in the next few weeks when they are due to return to moult.
This young sponsored yellow-eyed penguin male has remembered how to eat. He was found in our colony not feeling so well but he rallied quickly. Those of you who have been following us for a while might remember that all our chicks were fledged through rehab after we lost three to a predator in late December. Those that have made it and need a little TLC now easily remember how it's done! This sponsored yellow-eyed penguin chick and its sibling live in the box called Moon. A week later we gave them their 90 day check-up and Claus was 5.9kg - but probably a girl (139mm head) and his sibling was only 5.3kg and definitely a girl (137mm head). The cut-off weight is 5.5kg and anyone aged 90 days must be above that weight so she has come into rehab for a week or two to have her pick up a bit more weight. On 7 February Claus was gone (i.e. we could not find her) and has probably fledged. She was a good weight and should do well. Good luck, wee girl called Claus!
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