Sunday 1st December 2019

The chicks are growing every day

​Hello friends and family
Nasty November is over! We have come through it, along with 53 chicks that have survived their first challenge and we can now relax a little, while keeping a close watch on the penguins to ensure that they get the help they need in a timely fashion. Last week was made even more interesting when I developed an abscess on my remaining front tooth. I had it extracted on Wednesday and the dentist stuck it to my partial plate so I could carry on with my busy schedule and not frighten anybody!

The second lot of gull chicks have survived

​We had prepared for a Hui on Thursday, but it was called off. Will came up anyway, so he did the rounds with us to see first-hand what is involved with treating Diphtheria in the field. This week we  will be finishing the daily visits and start getting back onto the list of jobs that need doing, including monitoring for Mosquitoes.

a few little penguins have returned to the island

​Our DOC permit arrived this week and I find that I must renew my micro-chipping permit. I will get on to that quickly as the main opportunity for me to qualify is when we micro-chip the chicks in about a month’s time. The DOC permit seems more relevant this time and will last for 5 years. 

Our first pup now has friends and is getting stronger

​I have 2 penguins in care and released one during the week. The 2 juveniles had fungal throat and the adult is displaying symptoms of Malaria. His bloods seem clear but he sits in the house with his head in the darkest corner which is not usual. He may have the tissue phase of the disease.

so cute and our hope for the future

Hiltrun and John are here to remove the data loggers off the tracker penguins. We are very interested to see where they go fishing!
Have a great week
Rosalie
​