Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri)

Chlidonias · 22 Jun 2011

More information on this individual here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/5172214/Rare-NZ-emperor-penguin-appearance

Basically, the bird was first spotted at Paraparaumu beach (just north of Wellington) on the afternoon of the 20th, then moved up to Pekapeka beach that evening. The news got out to the birdwatching community and also the general media on the 21st. I went up on the morning of the 22nd (today) hoping he would still be there, and fortunately he was, and most fantastic he was too even if he did stay prone upon the ground rather than standing up and strutting his stuff. Seriously, a magnificent bird. Can\'t help but feel sorry for the penguin though, completely lost with no idea what to do. Yesterday he was observed eating wet sand, apparently under the impression it was snow. Although he looks more-or-less fine at the moment I have a feeling he may end up at the Wellington Zoo hospital for recovery, and then he\'ll get shipped back to Antarctica where he belongs. Unless he just vanishes into the surf before then or, hopefully not (!), gets killed by a dog.

The first record of an emperor penguin on the NZ mainland (in 1967) was actually a ship-assisted bird so this current one is really the first proper record. Its also probably the most northerly emperor penguin on record. New Zealand is really a very long way north of anywhere they occur normally.

kiang · 22 Jun 2011

You must have been like a greyhound out of the trap on hearing of his arrival Chlidonias.
Great pics.
As a zoochatter, i have to ask, is there any chance or under any circumstances that he may be kept in New Zealand?
I would have thought Kelly Tarlton's would be the natural choice, but obviously we would sooner see him make his own way home.

zooboy28 · 23 Jun 2011

kiang said:
You must have been like a greyhound out of the trap on hearing of his arrival Chlidonias.
Great pics.
As a zoochatter, i have to ask, is there any chance or under any circumstances that he may be kept in New Zealand?
I would have thought Kelly Tarlton's would be the natural choice, but obviously we would sooner see him make his own way home.

Well, that might be nice...

And was actually suggested in this article: Emperor penguin must find own way home | Stuff.co.nz

The penguin was likely to head back to the sea of its own accord, but if it didn't, it needed to be taken into captivity, he said.

"Kelly Tarlton's in Auckland is the logical place. Emperor penguins need a cold climate to survive, and they should have the facilities to provide that."

Chlidonias · 23 Jun 2011

well, if he needs medical care then he will surely go to Wellington Zoo because it is right nearby and has the facilities for treating seabirds (and, I would presume, would have the capability of chilling a room whilst the penguin was at the hospital there). If he had to stay permanently in captivity for some reason then Kelly Tarlton's is the only place in NZ that could keep him because they have their chilled "Antarctic" exhibit for king and gentoo penguins.

Although of course I'm hoping he can make it back to Antarctica either through his own efforts or through human assistance.

I don't think there's any way I can top Emperor Penguin this year - whatever other wildlife I see from now will be automatic second place

(EDIT: zooboy28 posted while I was typing)

CGSwans · 23 Jun 2011

If the bird cannot get back to Antarctica, then surely the ideal location to house him is Sea World San Diego with other emperor penguins. I'm sure they would be wiling to cover the cost of his transfer in order to acquire a new founder for their population.

Jabiru96 · 23 Jun 2011

CGSwans said:
If the bird cannot get back to Antarctica, then surely the ideal location to house him is Sea World San Diego with other emperor penguins. I'm sure they would be wiling to cover the cost of his transfer in order to acquire a new founder for their population.

I'm sure he would adjust finely with living with King Penguins (such as at Kelly Tarlton's) but there could be a chance of hybridisation when he gets older.

Chlidonias · 23 Jun 2011

Jabiru96 said:
I'm sure he would adjust finely with living with King Penguins (such as at Kelly Tarlton's) but there could be a chance of hybridisation when he gets older.

I think CGSwans was more saying that if this bird did have to be taken into captivity on a permanent basis then the best and most useful place for him to be would be amongst other emperors

Hix · 23 Jun 2011

kiang said:
You must have been like a greyhound out of the trap on hearing of his arrival Chlidonias.

Wouldn't you be?

Hix

Chlidonias · 24 Jun 2011

sadly the news today is not good: Emperor penguin takes turn for the worse | Stuff.co.nz

The condition of an Antarctic emperor penguin at a Kapiti Coast beach has deteriorated, with fears it is sick.

A cordon has been put up around the penguin keeping people about 40m away.

The juvenile emperor penguin, which stands about a metre tall and weighs about 10 kilograms, was first spotted on Peka Peka Beach on Monday afternoon.

It was this morning lying on its stomach with its head on the sand.

Chris Wilton, who first found the penguin on Monday, was on the beach this morning in tears.

"I am really sad they [the Department of Conservation] did not do something earlier."

She said she wanted to go and say goodbye but DOC staff would not let her through the cordon.

Staff from the department had headed to the site this morning after reports the penguin was acting strangely.

Te Papa's curator of terrestrial vertebrates Dr Colin Miskelly said the penguin had been acting inappropriately by eating sticks.

DOC biodiversity programme manager Peter Simpson said the penguin was lethargic, and its behaviour was markedly different to the past few days.

He said it might have an infection from eating sticks.

Simpson said the biggest today's concern was that it was sunny and the heat would adversely affect the penguin.

He said they will consider methods to cool it down.

"This morning when we checked it, it was still alive on the beach but it appears its condition has deteriorated a bit," Simpson said.

The penguin had been eating sand since it arrived - which might be an effort to cool itself down. Penguins normally eat snow if they get too hot.

A penguin expert, Associate Professor John Cockrem from Massey University, will meet conservation staff at the beach to give advice.

Yesterday, Cockrem said the bird, which swam 7000 kilometres from Antarctica, was healthy and in good condition, but he stressed the importance of people keeping well away from it and ensuring dogs were on leads.

"If it is chased or scared suddenly, it will get stressed out."

Returning the bird to Antarctica was not feasible because there was no transport there in winter and experts advised that large birds could suffer trauma if transported long distances.

It is only the second recorded incident of an emperor penguin on New Zealand shores.

A group of residents kept guard on the beach on Wednesday night and told DOC that drunken youths were "making a bloody nuisance of themselves".

To prevent cars driving too close to the rare visitor and an onslaught of flashing cameras, Kapiti Coast District Council has assigned a security guard to safeguard the penguin.

DOC was investigating long-term intervention plans if needed, but there was not a lot they could do.

"There are no facilities in New Zealand that can care for it long term," Simpson said.

"The zoo is not an option and Kelly Tarlton's has different species of penguins and diseases could be an issue."

several things mentioned in that report that I had been worrying about, particularly the "drunken youths" bit, and then people blaming DoC for whatever happens. Of course infection of some sort was always going to be a big risk, as aspergillosis in particular is well-known as a killer of captive emperors outside their natural habitat. They should really get it to the zoo hospital as soon as possible, and at least then can see what can or can't be done to save it.

zooboy28 · 24 Jun 2011

Chlidonias said:
several things mentioned in that report that I had been worrying about, particularly the "drunken youths" bit, and then people blaming DoC for whatever happens. Of course infection of some sort was always going to be a big risk, as aspergillosis in particular is well-known as a killer of captive emperors outside their natural habitat. They should really get it to the zoo hospital as soon as possible, and at least then can see what can or can't be done to save it.

Realistically both the penguin and DOC are in very difficult positions. It should go to the zoo hospital asap, however, if it does recover it doesn't have a lot of options. If Kelly Tarltons aren't interested because of disease risk, presumably San Diego Sea World feels the same. I am also unsure whether or not DOC/MAF would give permits for its export. A trip back to Antarctica is not likely, both because of the reasons above about bird transport, but also the cost involved. If DOC does fork out to get it down there it will cop a lot of flak over money, especially as they have just announced a further 100+ job losses, but if they don't send it then they will cop a lot of flak over being mean, and what will become of the penguin? All in all a tricky situation, but I really do hope it works out.

Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri)

Chlidonias

kiang

zooboy28

Chlidonias

CGSwans

Jabiru96

Chlidonias

Hix

Chlidonias

zooboy28

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