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Kawatiri Coastal Trail catches up with Inger about the new sections of the trail and what we need to know about penguins

Photo credit: Tui de Rooy – blue penguin

The Kawatiri Coastal Trail is a Grade 2, family friendly cycling and walking heritage trail and will connect the Buller District towns of Westport and Charleston.

By November, it is anticipated the Kawatiri Coastal Trail will see the first four consecutive Sections open to users, offering 23km of continuous Trail. They caught up with Manager Inger Perkins from the West Coast Penguin Trust to talk about her work with the Trail, the penguins, threats to colonies, and what the public can do to help.

Read the interview here:

https://kawatiricoastaltrail.co.nz/west-coast-penguin-trust/

What are kororā eating on the Coast?

January 7, 2025

What are kororā eating on the Coast?

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A new environmental DNA pilot study by the New Zealand Penguin Initiative focussed on two sites, the Otago Peninsula and the West Coast Penguin Trust's study site at Camerons, Greymouth.

A new environmental DNA pilot study by the New Zealand Penguin Initiative (NZPI) to find out what little penguins / kororā are eating focussed on two sites, the Otago Peninsula and the West Coast Penguin Trust's study site at Camerons, Greymouth. A summary of the NZPI pilot follows from Hiltrun Ratz:

What are kororā eating? eDNA Pilot Summary

Adult Triplefin. Photo credit: The Fishes of New Zealand 2015 eds. Roberts, Stewart and Struthers.

It’s been super exciting to get the go ahead to do a nationwide study on kororā diet this year. It’s just the start but we have results for two areas so far: Otago Peninsula and South Island West Coast. Scat – aka pooh – was collected in October and sent to Wilderlab for analyses of the DNA. These are then compared with known fish, crustaceans, molluscs etc. DNA and a list of species was sent back for the exciting bit of working out what the kororā have been eating.

While the results were not unexpected, they were surprising!

Image Credit: Triplefin youngster. Palacios-Fuentes et al. 2014.

Kororā in Otago were eating mostly Triplefin (or cockabullies) and sprat – together almost 95%. Previous diet studies were based on hard parts of fish that identified the species and size, and Triplefin has never been recorded. So, what’s going on? Adult Triplefin grow to a length of 5-10cm (ideal for Kororā to eat) but they occur on the bottom of the ocean that is out of diving reach for Kororā – but the DNA was in the scat. Therefore, they must have been eating pelagic (or mid-water) youngsters. A bit more straight forward with sprat: they grow to 12cm long and occur in schools in coastal waters. Previous diet studies recorded >50% of sprat in the diet, a much higher percentage than recorded here.

Image Credit: Blackhead Lanternfish; The Fishes of New Zealand 2015 eds. Roberts, Stewart and Struthers.

Kororā on the West Coast of South Island also brought a surprise: Almost two third of prey DNA was Blackhead Lanternfish, the next most important prey was Anchovy and Sprat. That makes sense because they all swim around mid-water and Kororā can reach them.

There were other species present in both samples, but they were not important: Tarakihi, Squid, Hoki, Lightfish, Stargazers, Warehou, various species of Kopupu (Whitebait), Octopus, Greenbone, Gurnard and Thornfish. These species were likely taken as pelagic youngsters. There are four more samples being processed from the North Island and we are looking forward to finding out how the diet there is different to the pilot study from the South Island colonies. And then we are doing it all again in a couple of months to find out what kororā are eating during summer – and then autumn and winter.

The main prey of our West Coast kororā were blackhead lanternfish or Lampichthys procerus, one of 250 species of lanternfish and one that seems to have avoided cameras - just a line drawing exists online. Apparently, they are found around the globe in the southern hemisphere in the region of the Subtropical Convergence. They grow up to 10cm long - perfect size for capture and swallow by kororā. We will be collecting scat seasonally to contribute to this interesting and valuable study.

Little penguin season update

December 10, 2024

Little penguin season update

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Good breeding season on the cards

The Trust's foraging study - tracking little penguins / kororā at sea - shifted from Charleston to Camerons for the 2023 season and the colony there was found more suitable for the regular breeding success monitoring and further developing our research programme.

Breeding success monitoring

Field work for the 2024 season started on 22 July at the Camerons colony, where most of the nest sites are in nest boxes and easier to monitor. Ranger Lucy Waller has found 61 potential nest sites in the general area, 21 of them being active this season. Interestingly, Lucy found that eggs were laid in 17 of these nests within the same three day period at the end of August. One pair laid two weeks earlier and first the chicks appeared to struggle and then sadly one adult was found dead in the nest. One of the chicks from that nest fledged at 11.5 weeks old and the other, apparently having been roughed up by the other, was slower and had to recover from lost chick down on his head, but we are pleased to report that the second chick fledged successfully at around 13 weeks old. Eggs were laid in the other three nests a few weeks later in mid-October.

penguins and egg — *Fresh egg with adult little penguin pair*

The first chicks fledged in the second week of November. In another interesting observation, Lucy found that, in every nest, there was a dominant, larger chick throughout the growing process, which was then more likely to fledge first. She also noted a general trend of a more dominant partner and a more shy partner among the adult pairs. Lucy noted: "A paper was written about ‘fat aggressive males being good breeders’ and from the angriest, most aggressive penguin we came across this season (the one that took the top of Thomas’ finger and my knuckle on one occasion), male and 1.5 kg, they were very successful breeders, with very fat, healthy, rapidly growing chicks." The paper entitled Correlations between body size, defensive behaviour and reproductive success in male Little Blue Penguins Eudyptula minor: implications for female choice was published in 2003 in the ornithological journal Ibis. It's a fascinating study from The University of Waikato and available here. Authors Masamine Miyazaki & Joseph R. Waas wrote: "Our results show that, in Little Blue Penguins, large males bred earlier than smaller ones and that chicks of larger males grew more rapidly than those of smaller males. A female’s body size, however, did not affect her reproductive success. Large males also used higher-pitched aggressive calls and were more likely to vocalize in response to an intruder’s call, but only during the post-guard stage. This vocal information could be used by opponents as well as females to gauge male attributes." Back to our study colony and, in one nest, it appears that the penguins abandoned their eggs but they have had a second attempt at breeding. We will have a full report and analysis of the season soon.

Microchipping for demography study

Microchipping of penguins at the Camerons colony also began this season and with help from fabulous volunteers Sharon, Maria and Grace, Lucy has microchipped 20 adults and 20 chicks. Microchips, also known as transponders or PIT tags, allow the trust to identify individual penguins. Lucy is trained to insert the microchip under the penguin's skin while the penguin is carefully held by her field assistant. A wand reader can be used to obtain a unique code from the microchip each time the penguin is seen. Minimal handling is always best and the penguins are back in their nest in moments.

penguin and chicks — *Adult and two little penguin chicks in nest box*

As data is collected from breeding and with an understanding of individual demographics thanks to the microchips, within the next 2-3 years we will be able to gain clarity with annual updates as to whether the population is growing or decreasing. We will also learn more about those larger and more assertive penguins.

Foraging study

The improved understanding of kororā described above will be supported by the foraging study, which this year has tracked kororā during the egg and then chick guard stages. The loggers record where penguins have been as well as frequency and depth of dives. The trust is very fortunate to have guidance from our scientist Dr Thomas Mattern and through him, Masters student Patrick Daugherty. In 2025, Patrick will be reviewing the foraging data with respect to marine conditions for our study and another community project based in New Plymouth. This is an area of work the trust has been hoping to undertake for a few years, linking an understanding of El Niño / La Niña conditions, sea surface temperatures and nutrients / chlorophyll to breeding success. Read more about the foraging study here Find out about a Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo volunteer working on this study here

Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo shares penguin volunteer Ellen

December 10, 2024

Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo shares penguin volunteer Ellen

Ellen Richarson, Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo volunteer

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Conservation partnership supports eight excellent and long volunteer days for Ellen Richardson working with Ranger Lucy Waller.

The West Coast Penguin Trust has benefitted from a conservation partnership with Wellington Zoo Trust - Te Nukuao Tūroa o Te Whanganui a Tara for several years. The partnership began in 2017 founded on our shared interest in the wellbeing and improved conservation outcomes for both little penguins or kororā and Fiordland crested penguins or tawaki. Our trust's work has benefitted from donations, predominantly for tawaki projects, but also for penguin care and rehabilitation with the zoo's animal hospital - The Nest Te Kōhanga, education, and sourcing ethical, sustainable fundraising items for sale. We have also presented our work to zoo staff and to other conservation partners and stakeholders, and supported the zoo's lead on the global 'Reverse the Red' campaign to ensure the survival of wild species and ecosystems. One component of the conservation partnership is the opportunity to have a volunteer assist in our work. The zoo offers staff the opportunity to apply for paid leave to work on conservation projects linked to the zoo. This year we were very fortunate to have zoo keeper Ellen Richardson join us. Ellen's key role was to assist Ranger Lucy Waller with the foraging study. Penguins need to be held carefully while loggers are attached and Ellen stepped up perfectly for this role. The flip side of attaching loggers is retrieving them. Ellen and Lucy spent hours waiting for some of the birds with loggers to return late at night so that they could be retrieved.

penguin foraging study — *Logger attached to little penguin*

Loggers were deployed while penguin parents were incubating eggs and then again while they were taking turns to guard and feed chicks. Great care is taken and the handling time is minimised, usually less than five minutes. Data from the loggers for these two key stages is being analysed and we will report back in the new year. Ellen spent a very busy eight days with Lucy, preparing for the logger work, and then working with Lucy on the foraging study field work, monitoring penguin colonies in the Buller district and helping with microchipping. This was a fabulous opportunity for our trust to have a capable and committed volunteer on board, fully funded by Wellington Zoo Trust - Te Nukuao Tūroa o Te Whanganui a Tara. Lucy and Ellen achieved a great deal during the week and both enjoyed the experience. Our very grateful thanks go to Ellen and to Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo.

Penguin survey — *Ellen Richardson, Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo volunteer, looking for penguins with burrowscope*

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Westland Mineral Sands

Westland Mineral Sands (WMS) is proud to announce its partnership with the West Coast Penguin Trust, strengthening its commitment to conserving the unique biodiversity of the region and supporting vital efforts to protect the kororā (Little Penguin). This partnership with the West Coast Penguin Trust reflects WMS’s commitment to balancing operational excellence with environmental stewardship. By prioritising the protection of the region’s precious wildlife, WMS aims to ensure the kororā can continue to thrive in their natural habitat for generations to come.

Partnership announcement, 10th December 2024: https://www.westcoastpenguintrust.org.nz/news/wms-partners-with-west-coast-penguin-trust-to-support-penguin-conservation/ WMS Group website: https://www.wmsnz.com/

Our Vision

“Building an intergenerational business for New Zealand”

We are committed to becoming a world leader in critical minerals that advance the shift toward a sustainable future. As we work towards achieving this, we will build a resilient business that benefits our company, the West Coast, and New Zealand for generations to come.

Caring for our local habitat

We are lucky enough to live and work so close to the magnificent coastline which gives our region its name. But we’re well aware it’s not just our home and we consider it our duty to protect the wildlife around us through thoughtful planning of our sites and monitoring in our day-to-day operations.

The West Coast is home to kororā or little blue penguins. We consulted with experts and brought in a penguin-tracking dog to help us identify where penguins are nesting and to help us understand their movements. As a result, we altered our traffic management plan to ensure our trucks were not travelling either side of dusk or dawn to avoid disrupting kororā and their migration patterns.

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Pension Insurance Corporation plc

The purpose of PIC is to pay the pensions of current and future policyholders. This focus delivers value for stakeholders.

Why the PIC penguins?

Emperor penguins have been central to PIC’s brand from the start. That’s because they’re memorable and intrinsically appealing, as well as striking to look at. Emperor penguins embody qualities that the PIC team works hard to emulate every day. They are:

Loyalty

They form lifelong partnerships, working together to protect and nurture their young and cooperating for the wellbeing of the group. Like them, our team invests time in building long-term relationships, showing ourselves to be dependable and dedicated.

Adaptability

Penguins have evolved to live successfully in water and on land, in many different climates. We too are adaptable, staying agile in a changing environment and evolving our business with innovative solutions to meet client needs.

Resilience

There are few animals on earth as tough as Emperor penguins, who withstand long Antarctic winters and endure months without food. PIC stays strong even in the harshest economic conditions and in the face of the most volatile markets.

The West Coast Penguin Trust is thrilled to share a love of penguins with PIC and to have received generous donations from them.

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Lion Foundation

Since 1985 we have returned over $1 billion back to the community, supporting thousands of good causes all around New Zealand.

Our Values

INTEGRITY – Do the Right Thing COMMUNITY – Stronger Together INNOVATION – Change for the Better ACHIEVEMENT – Strive for Success A grant was made by the Lion Foundation in 2023 for the Trust's education ranger to deliver our education programme to West Coast schools.

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Brian Mason Scientific & Technical Trust

The Brian Mason Scientific & Technical Trust was established in July 1991 to receive and allocate grants for the advancement of scientific and technical objectives in Canterbury and Westland We are fortunate to have had a grant from this Trust to research and publish information about threats to Westland petrels - tāiko, the information proving invaluable in our advocacy work. A second grant was awarded in 2022 for little penguin - kororā - foraging study taking place over 2023 and 2024 breeding seasons.

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The Sargood Bequest

The Sargood Bequest is a charitable trust founded in 1939 by Sir Percy Sargood of the firm Sargood Son & Ewen. Sargood Bequest actively supports community groups and individuals within New Zealand. The purpose of the fund is to make grants to projects and activities in the Children & Youth, Cultural, Sports & Outdoors, Educational and Environmental categories with a focus on Access, Participation and Inspiration. The majority of grants made by Sargood Bequest are under $5000. The Trustees favour projects to which funds are specifically targeted. From time to time the trust also makes larger grants or pledges over a number of years at the discretion of the trustees. The Trust has been fortunate to have been awarded grants principally for our Education work, but also for the Community Conservation Symposium.

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Westland Dairy Company

Westland Dairy Company - formerly Westland Milk Products, based in Hokitika. Westland. A place, a people, a brand and a spirit. It is this naturally determined, adaptive spirit that enables our customers to find their edge, to nourish life through our products we have made beautifully for generations. Westland Dairy Company have supported the Trust to print wildlife awareness signs for beach access points across the region and have been at pains to ensure penguins are protected at and around the pipeline drilling project site on the north edge of Hokitika. Following that project, they remained committed to protecting penguins and have installed a penguin protection fence in the area to prevent penguins being killed on the state highway. They have also generously assisted with the cutting of access ramps for penguins when erosion results in barriers between nest and sea. The Trust's relationship with Westland continues to grow and their support is hugely valued and valuable. https://www.westland.co.nz/en/company/purpose-and-values/

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Wellington Zoo

Wellington Zoo is New Zealand’s first Zoo and Wellington’s oldest conservation organisation, caring for animals since 1906. The Zoo is a not for profit charitable trust, and has been that way since 2003. The Trust runs the Zoo on behalf of Wellington City Council. They are proud to be the world’s first carboNZero certified zoo and they became the first zoo to win the Environmental Sustainability Award at the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). The zoo follows the WAZA commitments to excellence in animal welfare and conservation. They are also part of the Zoo and Aquarium Association - a regional organisation for zoos in the Australasian region. ZAA manages the coordination of breeding programmes and sets the level of professional standards and practice for members. They are proud to have been accredited under their Animal Welfare standards. The West Coast Penguin Trust is hugely proud to be a Conservation Partner, sharing an interest in improving the conservation management of Fiordland crested penguins and sharing information and resources that contribute to penguin conservation generally.

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Lottery Environment and Heritage

Lottery Environment and Heritage provides grants for plans, reports and one-off projects that will protect, conserve and promote New Zealand’s natural, cultural and physical heritage. The Trust has received grants for three major projects, namely developing an education resource (2015), presenting the Community Conservation Symposium (2018) and the little penguin - kororā - foraging study 2023-2024.

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Waka Kotahi NZTA

"Our value"

"A great journey is easy, safe and connected. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is focused on providing one integrated land transport system that helps people get the most out of life and supports business. "We look after the national transport system with our partners, today and for the future. We’re innovating to make sure the system is efficient and sustainable, unlocking opportunity and keeping New Zealand moving. "We’re working to deliver our customer promise – great journeys to keep New Zealand moving." Waka Kotahi NZTA recognised the risk posed to drivers on the Coast Road (state highway 6) at night, where penguins on the road could cause drivers to swerve off the road. Their focus on safety fitted with the Trust's aim to protect penguins and keep them off the road and the Trust was hugely grateful for the agency's support managing the safety of the fence construction project. Waka kotahi NZTA continue to support the penguin protection fence through an annual amount allocated to fence maintenance and extension, and used for this purpose by Westport based road contractor, WestReef, also very supportive of this project.

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Department of Conservation

The Department of Conservation has been the main sponsor of the Trust since its inception and continues to support our work with advice, collaboration and encouragement. We're very fortunate to work with such a passionate group of people throughout the West Coast region.

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West Coast Community Trust

The West Coast Community Trust manages its investments and apply income by way of grants for charitable, cultural, philanthropic, recreational and other purposes in Buller, Grey and Westland. The Trust has been fortunate to receive grants for its education and its awareness programmes.

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ANZ Staff Foundation

The West Coast Penguin Trust is thrilled to have support from the ANZ Staff Foundation. A grant in 2019 was followed with another in 2021, both supporting our growing education programme. Read about the ANZ Staff Foundation and their support here. And read about and watch the wonderful little film that ANZ made about our work here.

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The Tawaki Project

We know next to nothing about tawaki’s marine ecology, their foraging ranges, which prey species they consume and at which water depths they forage. Critical information is missing to assess how human activities might impact on tawaki, be it ongoing climate change, fisheries activities or pollution of the marine habitat with mining effluents or oil-leaks. This project will address the key aspects of tawaki’s marine ecology throughout the range from South Westland to Stewart Island. We will:

examine their foraging strategies across the different marine environments they inhabit
study the spatial distribution of their diving activities to determine whether there are specific hot spots at sea
investigate which marine and terrestrial aspects affect the species’ population dynamics

We also collaborate with the West Coast Penguin Trust to further knowledge and conservation management for tawaki through our collaboration as The Tawaki Coalition.

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Enviroschools

Enviroschools is a nationwide programme supported by Toimata Foundation, founding partner Te Mauri Tau, and a large network of regional partners. Early childhood centres and schools commit to a long-term sustainability journey, where tamariki/students connect with and explore the environment, then plan, design and take action in their local places in collaboration with their communities. We are fortunate to be able to use key structures from the Enviroschools programme in our education programme and we join forces with Enviroschools - coordinators and schools - where we can for even greater environmental education outcomes. The Trust has also worked with Enviroschools for the West Coast to establish a network of environmental educators in the region.

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