More oiled penguins arrive for cleaning
By Vicki Waterhouse, Fairfax NZ News
7 January 2012
Four more penguins have been brought into Massey University’s wildlife centre in Palmerston North as oil from the stricken Rena continues to cause havoc on the Tauranga coastline. Staff from Massey University’s wildlife centre have been helping hundreds of oiled birds and animals in Tauranga since October 5, when the container ship Rena hit the Astrolabe Reef. Since Christmas, 21 little blue penguins and three other birds have been brought to Palmerston North for care. A total of 313 penguins have been treated and released back into the wild, along with 54 dotterels and four shags. However, more than 100 penguins did not survive. Of the penguins still in captivity, some are recovering from sores on their feet from being on land too long, while the others cannot return home because where they were found has not yet cleared of oil. Wildlife veterinarian Janelle Ward said the latest lot of birds to be brought in oiled were from Motiti Island. “They’d been stabilised in Tauranga for a few days before they came down to us,” she said. They made up four of six penguins that need to be washed before returning them to water. […]
