Hello friends and family Happy New Year! In 2017, Penguin rescue has evolved Our mission statement; Providing sanctuary for penguins
Yes, YEP conservation is a priority for DOC and Ngai Tahu but really, unwritten, they can go and live somewhere else as people like to come here and see them so let’s spend conservation dollars on enhancing the tourist experience and never mind that the tourists come to see the penguins so once the penguins have gone, the tourists will not bother either. The 30 years of our managing the wildlife reserve did not even rate a mention. It would be bearable if there was another place, in North Otago where penguins are cared for, but there is not. Every chick hatched elsewhere in North Otago this season is dead. What can we do in 2018 to make a difference? We will continue with our conservation effort and keep recording the evidence of the demise of this colony. Yesterday I was called down to the point because an Asian gentleman was trying to pull a seal pup out from under a rock, and other visitors were concerned that the distraught mother might bite him. Then on dusk, a visitor was buzzing the penguins down at the landing with his drone. He did stop when asked to by another visitor, but the disturbance was a done deal.
Will 2018 bring a better deal for our penguins? Watch this space Have a great week! |
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