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From our scientist, Hiltrun Ratz, PhD
scientist@penguins.org.nz 
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This yellow-eyed penguin chick arrived in our rehab facility terribly emaciated and sick but with the right meds and plenty of food and rest it is making a full recovery. It has now developed a bit of an appetite and soon can be released again for a second chance at learning how to catch a fish. The sky point in the yellow-eyed penguin is a general greeting flavoured with some flirtation. Not all that welcome by the look of the reaction of the second bird in this case. We haven't seen any serious fighting yet, that happens closer to breeding in September when the penguins are competing for nests and mates. The yellow-eyed penguins are really shy around people and a photo like this can only be obtained with a trail camera as the penguin is obviously on purpose and single-minded! Notice how pink the undersides of the flippers and the feet are. He is evidently just come home and still a bit flush with body heat - so he's radiating it off with his little-insulated flippers and feet and they get all pink.  We still have a lot more photos to share of the fab four but just for a change we shifted the camera and put it on video. This penguin appears to be intrigued by it (maybe it's the little red light) but then it becomes clear that it is coming over to say giddaye to another penguin - and together they photo-bomb the video! It's holiday time for the penguins and they seem happy and relaxed - and nicely chubby. Such a pleasure to see!  When the tide is out the commute home is a bit longer for the yellow-eyed penguins at our colonies. At high tide these rocks on the foreshore are all under water and the penguins can swim all the way to the beach but at low tide there is a whole lot more walking to do. The penguins don't seem to mind and stop often to preen and check out who else is around and on the way home.  Can you spot him/her? These guys don't bother the penguins in the least. They get a good peck on their rump if they get too close to the penguin and hop away again.  Someone usually sat right in front of the camera most nights and often so close that the camera gets triggered every minute or so and a whole load of photos are useless. But on this occasions Stitches and her mate can be seen clearly on their box on the right and the neighbouring pair sitting at a respectable distance on the left. No shouting at each other that evening!  It looks like Stitches and her mate have settled in for the night on their favourite trap and are not worried about the weirdly beautiful purple sky.  |
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