Sunday 24th December 2023

growing fast

Hello friends and family.

NZ Christmas colour

​Merry Christmas.
It has warmed up here in the south. I enjoy getting up in the morning when it is warm, and no jacket is needed. On Tuesday we weighed the chicks down the hill and 2/3 of them now weigh more than 3kg. We let the 2 adults go and later got blood results that one of them tested positive for Malaria. I went down the hill on Wednesday to look for it and found 5 penguins all having a party on the beach! 

two of the younger chicks

​In the evening, Hiltrun called in a penguin on Katiki Beach and Murray and Bronwyn caught it. It is in a very sorry state and will need a while to recover. It too has Malaria, but it will get treated.

spot the chick!

​On Thursday we weighed the chicks in the Moeraki colony. They are all making good progress. On some days, both parents go fishing and leave the chicks hidden at home. It can take a while to find them as they stay very still and quiet, and of course, they are still brown and fluffy, so they blend in.

Meeting the neighbours.

​If you have forgotten someone this gift giving season, you could always give them a subscription to our Live cam (Penguin Rescue on YouTube) which now has sound!

Aotearoa, still blooming after 20 years.

Have a great week!
Rosalie