Sunday 19th November 2023

​Hello friends and family
Another crazy week. The team have all stepped up to do the best for the penguins. Michelle joined us for 3 days. Elaine trained her up on penguin chick travel management when they brought 11 chicks home on Monday and then Michelle did 2 extra days.

just a tiny scrap

​By Tuesday, all our chicks except for the last, late, nest had been taken down to the hospital. The job switched to bringing chicks home and settling them back into their nests. The parents have all waited patiently on a dummy egg except for one pair who took a short break one afternoon. Their chick came home the next day, so we are keeping a close eye on that nest.

some of the few Spotted shag nests in North Otago

​We have had another chick die. On Sunday afternoon I took a trip down to the hospital with it as it was gasping. It did not recover. There is a lot of mild diphtheria in the chicks as they return which we are treating, and the chicks seem to recover.

a returned juvenile looking healthy

​On Wednesday the first two of the Green Island chicks came up to be fostered into a nest here.  We had space because of infertile eggs. Elaine and I did the chick run on Friday. We brought back the last of the chicks from the Moeraki colony and were still waiting for the last eggs here at Katiki to hatch. They are both pipping, and we expect them to hatch today.

and still they die

As is the pattern, Yellow-eyed penguin chicks are very inventive in finding ways to die. Apart from disease, they can get fish bones stuck in their throats and we have had to save 2 of those cases this week. As each day passes, they get older and stronger. We continue to prioritise their survival.

the difference a week makes

Have a great week!
Rosalie