Last phase

We have started the last phase of the rehabilitation of our yellow-eyed penguin chicks: five were ready to be transferred to the soft-release pens. Among them was MORGAN's chick that had been in care since before Christmas. He was finally ready for the pens just above the beach. When they are transferred here they are usually around 6kg and get one (slightly bigger) meal per day rather than two. The idea is that they are among the wild penguins, they see the beach and associate it with something pleasant like getting fed. Some chicks remember this when they can't work out how to fish and return here to be picked up again and given another chance.
You may notice there is a 6th chick in the picture - way over on the right: it is not in the pen, it is a wild chick that has come over to check out the newcomers!