24th November 2019

treated babies on the mend

​Hello friends and family
These are tough times in the colony. Having help every day makes it easier for me, but all the chicks in both colonies have been infected. Some we have not caught in time and they have died.

First pup seen for the season

​On Monday Megan and Jason from Penguin Place came and did the rounds with us. It is such a treat to have other front-line penguin workers come and share knowledge and experience. Michelle and Charlie were my helpers on Tuesday, and they are coming back again today.

The shags are raising 3 chicks this season

​Jan and Robbie helped for the rest of the weekdays and by Thursday we were shell-shocked by dead chicks. We had 3 die from predator wounds. Once a chick is dead, there is nothing to be done for it.  We also picked up our first hospital patient for the season, a juvenile with a fungal throat. It had been in hospital before and remembered how to feed. Hunger overcame pain until the anti-fungals kicked in.

First slide of the season showing peculiar white blood cell

The first seal pup that we have seen for the season arrived on Wednesday in Hide Bay – a first for that spot. It is quieter there now and so the seals can leave the neck and pup in peace.
Hiltrun, Stewart and Elaine helped yesterday, and Elaine prepared our first slide of penguin blood for the season. We also weighed our single chicks so that we might be able to offer foster parents to similar sized orphan penguin chicks if needed.
Have a great week!
Rosalie
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