Penguin Rescue NZ
  • HOME
  • Watch Live!
  • DONATE
  • CONTACT
    • HOW CAN YOU HELP?
  • NEWS
    • Weekly News >
      • JOIN
    • Annual Report 2023/2024
Picture

Weekly news

Picture
Weekly news from the Sanctuary Manager, Rosalie Goldsworthy
Watch live
DONATE

Penguin Rescue Upate

18/5/2025

Comments

 
Picture
morning at the lighthouse
​Hello friends and family
This started out as a quiet week. Elaine and I celebrated Mother’ day with dinner at the Tavern – yummy as always! I took a load of rocks to the Bluffs on Monday and picked the pears in the Hampden orchard. There are still a few more apples to ripen.
Picture
3 shags
​The team came out on Tuesday, and we saw only a handful of penguins at home. I got an email from Mt Cook Salmon who will be donating some smolt to us which is awesome, the team at the OPERA will store it for us until the freezer is repaired.
Picture
evening at the lighthouse
​I went to town on Wednesday – no snow to be seen, but a good day to get my Covid jab. On Thursday, we found Mrs K18 at home again and she had taken a blow to the head and needed some help. She is responding well. 
Picture
Tiny native broom, growing in the lounge
​Friday was busy. In the morning it was the Hui for the reserve management group. They were very empathetic towards the plight of the penguins. After a delicious lunch, it was off to the tavern to farewell Peter Whitehead who died recently. He had been a great help to Penguin Rescue by making trap boxes and little penguin cages.
In the evening, I went to Hampden to hear Tamsin talk about her voyage through the North West passage. It was a great talk – a fitting highlight of a day when I did more socialising than the rest of the week put together!
Have a great week!
Rosalie
Picture
Comments

Penguin Resce update

11/5/2025

Comments

 
Picture
Back where they belong
​Hello friends and family
The week began with pleasant weather, and it even got to 18 degrees when I was travelling home from the Toptip on Wednesday. It was a good time to release penguins, so I let 3 go – down to 2 fledglings in care, just fattening up to go after the next front has gone through.
Picture
There is great afternoon viewing on our YouTube channel
​The rain finally arrived on Friday morning, only 7 mm, but enough to keep the tiny trees happy!
Picture
Mrs 18 swam straight home as fast as she could
​This very cruisy week was turned on its head when I opened the big freezer on Friday just after 5pm to get fish out for the penguins, only to find it was defrosting rapidly. The freezer unit had stopped but the fan was still working, blowing warm air over the contents and defrosting it all rapidly.
Picture
2 shags on the rock
​What to do? I transferred all the current fish supplies and my food into the 2 freezers in the garage, but there was no room for the old fish. Why do I even have old fish you may ask? Because having fish to feed penguins is central to what we do. Just in case!
Picture
Where are we?
​It helps me sleep easy, knowing I have plenty of fish. It was good enough to use, if necessary, but now it is buried – 160kgs of it. I will call the freezer company on Monday to get the freezer repaired.
Yesterday I released the last 2 fledglings as we are expecting calm seas for a while.
Picture
fledglings back in the wild
Have a great week!
Rosalie
Picture
Comments

Penguin Rescue Update

4/5/2025

Comments

 
Picture
Back in the wild after recovering from a wound.
​Hello friends and family
The week began with more boring tasks, but a lot of satisfaction from doing them. The weather was mild and dry – I thought about watering the baby trees.
Picture
An abundance of sea birds
​The team came out on Tuesday morning and we picked up another fledgling. This one was just a bit light and is the first of the hand raised chicks to return. I did the monitoring rounds on Wednesday because we had the Oamaru penguin conference on Thursday and Friday.
Picture
It was worth getting up early on Friday morning
​This is a great chance for the whole team to network with other penguin conservation groups and to get updated about the latest research. Thursday was focused on Little penguins, and it was great to hear from new groups, advocating in their communities for penguins which means tackling the ongoing problem of dog attacks. One group has set up a radio network of cameras on the dunes and another has investigated Council compliance with the Wildlife act and only 4 complied.
Picture
A waiting pup
​Dinner was delicious. The weather was too unpleasant to go and see the Little penguins come home at the Oamaru colony, but those that did were pleased to see lots of them. We saw one on the pavement as we left the restaurant! Friday focused on other species and was very informative.
Picture
More north Otago glory
​Genetic research is revealing a lot about the penguins’ past – there is evidence that Hoiho have been here for over 3000 years.
Picture
Heading home early
I did the rounds yesterday and the penguins were all out fishing.
Have a great week!
Rosalie
Picture
Comments

Penguin Rescue Update

27/4/2025

Comments

 
Picture
home again
​Hello friends and family
The weather cleared on Monday, and I carted rocks and planted trees – very satisfying but not exciting! I weighed the fledgling that has gone from 3.6kg to 5.4kg. It is still eating 16 fish a day so I will keep it until it is not so hungry.
Picture
another glorious sunset
​The team came out on Tuesday morning and we checked that all was well with the penguins who were all out fishing. In the afternoon I got a call from Shag point and arrived in time to help Stewart who had rescued another fledgling. It has not been in care before so some training will be required!
Picture
the Kowhai is blooming very early this year
​On Thursday morning we gave the new fledgling a thorough check up and found she had an old injury to the foot. I had observed that she was reluctant to stand up, so this explained that behaviour. By Thursday afternoon, she was feeding from the hand.
Picture
Having a day at home
On Friday morning I found a fledgling at Okahau and then, on Saturday morning, one here. Elaine came out and did the bloods – both are unwell. It is a quandary! Fledglings home so early but not well. We are thrilled that they are back.
Have a great week!
Rosalie
Picture
Comments

Penguin Rescue Update

20/4/2025

Comments

 
Picture
Excuse me - this is our place
​Hello friends and family
The much-heralded rain arrived on Monday afternoon, and we got 5 mm – the temperature dropped by 10 degrees, so it was a good time to be indoors. 
Picture
The right spot
​We did the rounds on Tuesday and Robbie found a distressed penguin. We brought it into care, but it died overnight. I transferred it to the DOC ranger at Palmerston on Wednesday so was pleased that I didn’t have to go all the way to Dunedin.
​ Just as we got back from the rounds on Thursday there was a call about a stranded penguin at Moeraki. Robbie and Murray went off to save it. It was in a very bad way, so I took it down to the wildlife hospital where it failed every survival test and was put out of its misery. It was a regular in rehab but its chip had moved so we could not identify it – that happened at the hospital.
Picture
What the point looks like when people stay away
​On Friday it rained all day as predicted. We got 7mm but it was perfect for the newly planted trees so when the sun came out on Saturday, I planted 7 more.
 I was very pleased to see Titi (Sooty Shearwaters) on their migration to Siberia. They are the most numerous seabird and spend our winter in Siberia, returning late September to breed here, mostly on off-shore islands where they are safe from most mammalian predators.
Picture
The great migration begins
Yesterday I did the rounds and planted 7 trees. Today is wet again so I am tackling the list of indoor jobs.
Have a great week!
Picture
Comments

Penguin Rescue Update

13/4/2025

Comments

 
Picture
wearing a new suit
​Hello friends and family
Sunday plans were interrupted by a call from Timaru. A Hoiho fledgling had landed on the boat ramp on Saturday night and was still there on Sunday morning. Our trusted friend Peter organised its rescue and I picked it up from Oamaru. It had slash wounds to its foot and weighed only 3.8kg. A quick check of its microchip number showed it was from here, had been in care and then fledged on 18th February. 
Picture
buddies
​Like all penguins, it remembered how to feed from the hand and has settled in quickly. I shifted Sunday’s jobs to Monday and began the pruning at Okahau. With a dire weather forecast in place, I checked the penguins then – just as well as Tuesday brought a nasty storm – 15mm of rain and an icy southerly – a good day for inside tasks!
Picture
I don't need help thanks!
​Wednesday was Toptip day, and I took a few more treasures to be reused in the community. The morning was cold but sunny – lots of people came and it was a busy morning.
Picture
clean air and low sun - natural beauty
​On Thursday the team was treated with sightings of a Kereru and a Juvenile Gannet. The juvenile gannet was with an adult, and they were both fishing around the point. After the rounds here, we split up and got on with monitoring, tree planting and chain sawing at Okahau. There is much to do there, so every working hour makes a difference.
Picture
After a cold snap we can see the Otago peninsula from here
Yesterday I took rocks to the Bluffs in the morning and then, after lunch went to Okahau to plant trees and prune. There I found an injured penguin on the beach that I rushed to the wildlife hospital in Dunedin. Today I will be planting trees and pruning at Okahau!
Have a great week!
Rosalie
Picture
Comments

Penguin Rescue Update

6/4/2025

Comments

 
Picture
On their winter break.
​Hello friends and family
The days are getting shorter and so the change to daylight saving is timely. The penguins are mostly through the moult and so we have started the winter cleanup, which will be massive this season. The storm in October dropped swathes of trees at Okahau. The prolific growth since the storm has given us a challenge too. 
Picture
Autumn is fungi time
​We started with Kevin’s bush on Tuesday, cutting back branches and clearing fallen trees. It was an easy place to start because it is easy to dispose of the green waste by throwing it over the cliff. In other places we will have to cut it small and make stockades or piles that we can walk around.
Picture
more fungi
​On Thursday, the weather won the day, so we did the monitoring rounds and left the big stuff for another day. We did not get a share of the rain – 1mm was it, but the seas were roaring, and it was very windy. 
Picture
And then there were 3! The little shags are increasing
​I have started potting up my bin of cabbage tree seedlings and have had some success with the native broom seeds. We have one penguin in care.
Picture
These 2 sealions are becoming regular visitors
Have a great week!
Rosalie
Picture
Comments

Penguin Rescue Update

30/3/2025

Comments

 
Picture
Waiting out the moult
​Hello friends and family
Gavin carried on cleaning out the shed at the start of the week and by Tuesday we were ready to call the Skip company and ask for it to be removed. On Monday night we went to the Moeraki Tavern for dinner, and they produced Blue cod deliciousness.
Picture
You can't see me
​The penguins in care are getting grumpy. They are coming out of the moult and think that they don’t need to be fed anymore, but I disagree so we are all waiting for that last feather to fall and they can go and get their own fish.
Picture
All dressed up in a new set of feathers
​The team came out on Tuesday and all penguins in the reserves were doing just fine. We tried our hands at matchmaking and put Mrs W3 and Mr Od5 into the soft release pen at the Bluffs overnight to encourage bonding. Fingers crossed! Gavin came to the Toptip on Wednesday morning, and we got rid of the last of the recycling out of the shed. While we were having lunch at Vanessa’s, we saw the loaded skip going past – great satisfaction for a job well done.
Picture
Gone fishing
I took Gavin to the bus in Oamaru on Thursday morning and then went to Okahau with the team. On Friday I completed the funding application for the ORC ECO fund – it gave me a headache! Yesterday was laundry day – sunny with a light breeze, just lovely.
Have a great week!
Rosalie
Picture
Comments
<<Previous

    Archives

    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    RSS Feed

Picture
Picture
​Te whaka oraka o te takaraka
PENGUIN RESCUE NZ
Moeraki Lighthouse
RD2 Palmerston
North Otago 9842
+64211710832
​www.penguinrescue.nz
Penguin Rescue is a member of the Wildlife Rehabilitators Network of New Zealand
Picture

Thank you to our sponsors;

HAMPDEN COMMUNITY ENERGY

AUSTIN COMPANY

Disclaimer
Picture
  • HOME
  • Watch Live!
  • DONATE
  • CONTACT
    • HOW CAN YOU HELP?
  • NEWS
    • Weekly News >
      • JOIN
    • Annual Report 2023/2024