Too Many Penguin Sweaters May Be Too Much For Penguins

The Penguin Post has learned that due to the generous outpouring of handknits by the penguin loving public, a Maritime New Zealand spokesman says wildlife centers now have more than enough penguin sweaters right at the moment, particularly with the warm weather they’ve been having the past few days, and with the short term  forecast for more of the same.  Considering the higher than usual temps the penguins may not even appreciate the woolies, says one bird-keeper at Auckland Zoo. “Putting something like that on a penguin, it’s probably only going to stress it out even more than they already are,” she told Bay of Plenty Times. “These are wild penguins, they haven’t had any interaction with humans. There’s already enough stress on a bird without trying to put a sweater on it.”  So, with the penguins washed and cleaned and warmer than usual temps these penguins might not need their Fall fashion statements right now. Although all surplus sweaters will be kept in storage just in case they are needed again.

Penguins Being Cleaned After NZ Oil Spill

The Penguin Post has learned that conservationists have warned of an impending wildlife tragedy caused by an oil spill off the east coast of New Zealand, with populations of penguins, whales, seals and seabirds set to be hardest hit. A severe weather warning for the Bay of Plenty area on Monday/yesterday has heightened fears that the stricken cargo vessel Rena, which is carrying 1,700 tons of fuel oil and 200 tons of diesel, will start to break up, with grim consequences for the local marine wildlife. The fallout from the incident, which saw Rena run aground on a reef last Wednesday, is already being felt, with seven little blue penguins and two cormorants recovered and treated today at a centre in Tauranga.

Penguin being cleaned of oil.

However, this number is expected to rise to more than 200 in the coming days, with warnings that an escalation of the situation would have dire consequences for several species. WWF New Zealand said it hoped the incident would not prove a “tragedy” for the region’s marine wildlife, which includes bottlenose dolphins, orcas and beaked whales. Large baleen whales also migrate through the affected area. Of particular concern is the New Zealand dotterel, an endangered shorebird. “Little blue penguins are also very vulnerable as they swim through the oil. Fairy terns frequent the estuary and many northern hemisphere birds, such as godwits, that have migrated south for spring, are also under threat.” “New Zealand is known as the seabird capital of the world. We have about 85 different seabirds that breed here. It’s breeding season now, so there are many birds, such as petrels, that are diving into the water to find food for their chicks.“Should the vessel break up, we risk an international-scale incident. It’s a huge amount of oil. I sincerely hope the it doesn’t break up as the storm bears down on it.”  It’s estimated that up to 50 tons of oil has already been jettisoned into the sea. Radio New Zealand has reported that four of the 1,300 containers aboard Rena carry ferro-silicon, a hazardous substance which is flammable if it comes into contact with water. More than 300 Defence Force personnel have been deployed to tackle the spill, along with specialists from Australia, the UK and the Netherlands. The exclusion zone around the Rena has been extended to 2.8km today, with teams set to resume pumping oil off the damaged vessel. So far, just 10 tonnes of oil has been removed. Humans, as well as marine wildlife, are also in danger from the spill, according to Maritime New Zealand. The government agency has urged people not to touch the oil, which has started to wash up on the tourist-friendly Mount Maunganui beach, despite the efforts of volunteers to begin the clean-up operation.

Oil Spill Endangers Little Blue Penguins

While the New Zealand Wildlife Response Center is attending to two blue penguins stricken by the oil on Papamoa and Little Waihi Beach in southern New Zealand, the center says to be helping two birds this soon highlights the coming danger from the recent oil spill. As Center Director Brett Gartrell told the Penguin Post, “To be getting oiled birds this early on in a spill is a very bad sign. We have a minimum number of animals we are expecting to deal with, but I expect this to grow.” The response center has been set up at the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Te Maunga can handle up to 500 birds, but with oiled birds already being found it is likely the center will need to extend it’s capacity, in which case further resources will be needed.

One of the rescued oiled penguins

The penguins found today had heavy oil over their heads, chest and ingrained in their feathers.“The penguins lost their waterproofing and more importantly their ability to swim. These penguins had only recently been oiled. Some birds will die immediately or within hours of being oiled.” Brett says the penguins had also ingested some of the toxic oil that can harm the animal’s organs and cause death. “Ingesting the oil is also toxic. It will take between five to seven days to see if they have had a toxic reaction.” At the response center near Bayfair the birds are being washed and waterproofed.

The oil penguin pair in their holding pen

“We put a stomach tube down the penguin’s throat and force fed them fluids and mackerel. The birds are then washed with canola oil in warm water and kept in ventilated cages overnight.” Once the birds become oiled Brett says there is a limited amount of time before they become hypothermic and vulnerable to predators so finding the birds and getting them straight to the treatment centre is essential. “When the birds lose their waterproofing they start to struggle in the water and become vulnerable to other marine life. At this stage the penguins are stable and fighting, which is a good sign.” In addition to the penguins, four seabirds were found dead yesterday by the slick and two oiled shags are being transported from Motiti Island to Te Maunga for treatment tonight. The two blue penguins will be kept in pools at the treatment center and will not be released until they are able to float for six hours.