Wilson's little penguin - Eudyptula wilsonae

Presumed appearance of little penguins 3 million years ago - Massey University

A new species of fossil penguin has been named Eudyptula wilsonae after the late New Zealand ornithologist Kerry-Jayne Wilson MNZM, an internationally respected seabird researcher and advocate for conservation, and chair and scientist for the West Coast Penguin Trust.

New penguin species are being found and fitted into the jigsaw of the origins and lineage of penguins by a team from Massey University, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and Bruce Museum in the USA. This one, related to the little penguin or kororā of today, was found in three-million-year-old sediments in the Taranaki region.

Skull of Eudyptula wilsonae - Jnl of Paleontology — Skull of Eudyptula wilsonae, new species, presented alongside a skull from Eudyptula m. minor (type species – little penguin or kororā) – published in Journal of Paleontology https://doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2023.30)

Trust Manager, Inger Perkins, said:

“Naming this new species of little penguin after her is a wonderful and fitting acknowledgement for her enormous contribution to seabird science over many decades. We are thrilled her name will live on in connection with penguins, it is a tremendous and richly deserved honour.”

Read the whole story here:

https://www.massey.ac.nz/about/news/little-fossil-penguin-species-discovered-with-possible-connection-to-korora/

And the research has been published in the Journal of Paleontology:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-paleontology/article/pliocene-fossils-support-a-new-zealand-origin-for-the-smallest-extant-penguins/A722D072F8EE3B5FC194A33EF7DBC47F

West Coast Penguin Trust – Annual Report 2023-24

October 15, 2024

West Coast Penguin Trust – Annual Report 2023-24

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Our vision continues to be that “Sea and shore birds and their habitat of the West Coast Te Tai Poutini are healthy and thriving”.

Our Mission is to achieve the vision through research, education, awareness, advocacy and practical projects, founded on strong science.

Message from the Chair

Robin Long

After three years as Chair, I will be handing the role over to a rotating roster of Trustees at the August AGM, as I have been spending too much time overseas lately to do it justice. Nevertheless, the conservation of penguins and West Coast ecosystems is still a very important part of my life, so I will remain on board as a trustee. The 2023-24 year has seen a fresh start for the Trust as our Education Ranger, Lucy Waller, took on the additional role of general Ranger, but also a long hard look at our funding streams and the sustainability of our operations. In my message a year ago, I acknowledged that the Trust has relied upon funding from DOC for half of our operational expenses, and that the DOC funding appears to have dried up. With an increased focus on fundraising and grant applications, we are faring better than expected a year ago and are quietly confident that we will continue to do so. We've had to make some tough decisions around our reduced budget but we believe in the value of our work and the need for it to continue. We are immensely grateful for everyone's support and hope it will continue as we work towards our vision of a healthy and thriving Tai Poutini. Thank you, with appreciation for all your help - ngā mihi maioha Robin Long, Chair, West Coast Penguin Trust, August 2024

Click here for the Annual Report

And find all the highlights of the year and our thanks to all those who are helping us continue our work.

Carters beach dog attack and follow up

August 22, 2024

Carters beach dog attack and follow up

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Tragically, a loose dog dug a little blue penguin / kororā out of a nest box in late July and killed it. It is almost certain that the same dog killed the partner of the dead penguin a few days later. This horrific news and the deaths of these penguins should be absolutely avoidable. The Trust joined DOC, Buller DC and the Carters Beach Reserves Committee at the August Carters Beach market to share information about the presence of penguins and keeping dogs safe and under close control. It was a great opportunity to share information and agree some action. As a result and with the group's input, the trust designed a flier, improved by compliance and dog control officer Tracy Judd, DOC and Sean Judd kindly printed it and Richard Nicholl, resident and on the Reserves Committee, delivered a copy to every home in the small Carters Beach community. As always, the key message is that dogs are the biggest threat to penguins at the beach, and it is a simple matter of ensuring they are safe and secure at home and under close control when taken out for exercise. Sadly, just before this attack, another little penguin was killed at Serpentine beach, near Kumara Junction. Any beach could be used by little penguins. Any dog not under control, no matter how small and cuddly, could pick up and injure or kill a penguin, or scare it from a nest causing eggs or chicks to be abandoned. We hate to harp on about this but it seems someone must. We will be at the Barrytown School twilight gala on Friday 25th October to share the same thoughts and reminders. Thank you for your responsible dog owner behaviour and sharing the reminder with friends who are dog owners.

Click here for the Carters Beach flier

Carters Beach Market - Richard Nichol, Sean Judd, Inger Perkins

It’s breeding time, but not for this penguin

July 9, 2024

It’s breeding time, but not for this penguin

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With blood in its mouth and dog tracks all around it, the Department of Conservation (DOC) assumes that this little blue penguin or kororā was killed by a dog last week at Serpentine beach.

With blood in its mouth and dog tracks all around it, the Department of Conservation (DOC) assumes that this little blue penguin or kororā was killed by a dog last week at Serpentine beach. This should be a season of good news as penguins are starting their breeding season. Instead, DOC and the West Coast Penguin Trust are asking all dog owners to keep dogs under close control at the beach at all times and always out of the vegetated areas. Close control means that there is absolutely no doubt that they will return to you immediately that they are called, leaving anything of interest whether another dog, human, curious smell, food (perhaps toxic) or wildlife. In fact, that request goes to all beach users. West Coast Penguin Trust Manager, Inger Perkins, says everyone can help. “It may be that dog owners are visiting the area and have no idea that there may be penguins present. It can’t hurt to say hello and just note that there may be penguins present so keeping dogs under close control and out of the dunes is important. Also, from dusk to dawn, dogs should be on a lead as penguins could be coming and going across the beach. “Kororā are the smallest of all penguins, standing just 30cm tall. They are vulnerable to a variety of threats. Your darling dog might just want to play, with no malice at all, but unfortunately the necks of penguins cannot withstand the jaws or a playful shake of a dog of any size.” With assistance from DOC, the West Coast Penguin Trust has been recording reports of dead penguins since 2006. The location and, where possible, the cause of death is added to a database. The results are clear: 56% of the penguin deaths were due to vehicles on our coastal roads while 19% were killed by dogs. Penguin protection fences along the Coast Road north of Punakaiki and north of Hokitika, are keeping penguins safe on the sea side of roads and the proportion of penguins killed on the roads has reduced significantly since the fences were installed. However, there are other places where penguins will venture onto roads. If you’re travelling at night, it will be safer for you and give penguins more of a chance if you drive a little slower and allow a bigger gap when following another vehicle. When it comes to dogs, the proportion of penguins killed by dogs has remained at around 19-20% of all reported penguin deaths. You will probably have seen signs at beach access points reminding us that penguins, as well as seals and other native wildlife, nest, rest and feed in the beach area. The shared advice from district councils, DOC and the Penguin Trust is to stay at least 20m, or four car lengths away, from any wildlife. Dog owners are encouraged to keep dogs on leads after dark and before dawn, and at all times in the dunes and coastal scrub where penguins could be nesting. Ms Perkins, says: “Sadly, encouragement is not always enough and if we have shared this message once, we have shared it a thousand times, and yet sadly here we are again.” Senior Biodiversity Ranger at DOC in Greymouth, Darrell Haworth, explained: “It is an offence if you’re the owner, or person in charge of a dog that attacks protected wildlife and that dog kills wildlife or injures them so badly they have to be destroyed to end suffering. Anyone convicted of such a charge can be sentenced to prison for up to 12 months, be fined up to $10,000, or both. “But before looking at compliance options, why not think of the dog? A dog that is allowed to roam is not only a risk to wildlife but also to itself and road users if it wanders on to a road. Keeping your dog safe and secure at home, and under effective and close control when out walking or hunting, just makes sense.” Ms Perkins added that penguins could be around at any time of year. “We are approaching the breeding season for kororā as they sort out nests in anticipation of egg laying later this month. However, penguins could be using the beach you share with them at any time of year. You might see their tracks heading out to sea before the next tide washes footprints away.” As the breeding season begins, DOC staff are likely to visit areas where penguins and other wildlife might be at risk from dogs, Darrell Haworth says. “We’re keen to ensure the message is clear before we do so, to avoid having to potentially issue any infringement notices. “Don’t take dogs where they are prohibited and ensure that you always have effective control of your dog - effective control means that your dog will immediately return to you when called.” DOC has some advice to help dog owners be more responsible when exercising dogs at the beach:

Walk on the wet sand: you’ll be more likely to avoid wildlife
Feet on sand, lead in hand: always have your lead handy in case you need to keep your dog close)
Keep your dog on a lead near wildlife and stay four car lengths (20m) away, and
Help ’em out, give a shout (let other beach goers know when wildlife is present).

DOC has more information on its website.: www.doc.govt.nz/dogs-on-beaches