Pathway a threat to penguins
Eastbourne’s little blue penguins have to dodge dogs and cars, and are now facing a new threat – cyclists and the further loss of habitat.
The Hutt City Council is seeking resource consent for a 4.4km shared cycle and pathway around the eastern bays.
Environmentalist Sally Bain agreed the pathway was justified on safety grounds but she had a plea: ‘‘Please remember the little blue penguins.’’
The penguins, whose Ma¯ ori name is korora¯ , already struggled to dodge cars and dogs and cope with the loss of habitat.
Documents released as part of the consent application show there had been considerable debate among experts, over the impact of the pathway.
The regional council has questioned aspects of the design, wanting more detail on plans to mitigate the impact on penguins.
An August 2019 review by the regional council questioned whether enough was being proposed to protect the penguins.
Bain said the city council is suggesting several measures, including creating new nesting areas. She is pleased the council was taking the matter seriously and hoped Eastbourne residents making submissions would recognise the need to protect penguins. Locals seldom see the birds, which are active at night, and it was easy to take their presence for granted.
It was a unique situation to have the birds living in a major city and Bain wanted everyone to value the penguins and protect them.
Over the years, she has criticised the council for not doing more to control dogs, protect penguin habitat and to provide tunnels for penguins to cross the road.
Eastbourne Community Board chairwoman Virginia Horrocks concedes the pathway will impact on penguins.
Locals had high expectations for the pathway and believed it would not only make the use of the road safer but will also play a part in dealing with the rising sea level.
Hutt City Council senior project engineer Simon Cager said the shared path was a complex project and a penguin
■ Penguins in Wellington look for nest sites in July and start laying eggs in mid to late August.
■ Recently, penguins have been turning up in central Wellington, apparently drawn in by the smell of sushi.
■ Korora¯ breed in Wellington Harbour, including the Miramar Peninsula, Matui/Somes and Eastbourne. This breeding season has been a good one for the Matui/Somes population.
■ Korora¯ are the world’s smallest penguin and nest in burrows and tunnels. They sometimes nest under houses.
■ They like to return the same area to nest, which can make them vulnerable to habitat loss.
■ Their current threat status is ‘"at risk declining’’ and populations like the one in Wellington Harbour are vulnerable to dogs and cars.
■ There are believed to be about 70 breeding pairs between Seaview and Burdens Gate.
management plan would be prepared.
It would cover measures to manage construction effects on penguins, liaison with Department of Conservation and the Eastern Bays Penguin Group, training and education and the development of alternative safe breeding sites for penguins to offset where possible, any effects from the shared path and climate change on their habitats.
Submissions close on November 27.