Boys’ goal to save penguins
A group of students are striving to help protect Taranaki’s little blue penguin population from predators.
The four pupils from Francis Douglas Memorial College, Jakob Erb, Gregor Forrest, Samuel James and Quinn Scouller, all aged 14, are working on a 12 month community problem solving (CmPS) project to raise awareness of the plight of the smallest species of penguin.
Department of Conservation statistics show since 2010, 34 of the birds have been attacked by dogs in Taranaki which resulted in the death of 28.
In July the carcass of a little blue penguin, which was believed to have been killed by a dog, was discovered at Wai-iti Beach and since then another two have been discovered at New Plymouth’s East End and Back Beach, DOC senior ranger Callum Lilley said.
Erb said penguin numbers, specifically in north Taranaki, had been declining for the past few decades and the goal of the project was to reverse the trend.
‘‘We would like to raise awareness through the community and hopefully stop that decline.’’
The group has been doing surveys at beaches, working with Urenui Primary School and other community groups including Project Hotspot, a programme launched to capture local knowledge about marine life in Taranaki waters.
They’ve also set up a display and designed information pamphlets about penguins and how to protect them from predators for New Plymouth’s Brooklands Zoo.
Forrest said penguins moulted between January and March and had to stay in their burrows.
‘‘Penguins can’t swim when moulting making them vulnerable to attack,’’ he said.
‘‘Dogs are the main predators to penguins so keep your dogs on a leash to stop them attacking penguins.’’
The boys hoped by working with young children they would in turn take the message home to their parents.
Lilley said it was suspected the number of penguins killed by dogs was considerably higher than reported.
‘‘People refuse to believe that their dog will kill a penguin, but penguins are very attractive targets to even well-trained dogs.
‘‘They are small, smelly, unable to defend themselves and run when disturbed.’’
He said it was frustrating the message - you must control your dogs at all times - wasn’t getting through.
‘‘We all have a responsibility to look after wildlife, whether this be controlling your dog or educating friends and whanau about controlling their dogs.’’
Zoo assistant curator Eve Cozzi said the project was great and the students had been a pleasure to work with.
‘‘It just fits in really nicely with what we are trying to promote with our exhibition space.’’