How we’re helping the little penguins

Managing threats

Little penguin populations are declining in areas without protection, which is why places like our colony are so important.

We take our guardian duties very seriously. We reduce introduced predators like stoats, ferrets, and rats by setting traps around the colony. Dogs are also prohibited at the site.

Life outside of the colony in an urban environment also brings its own challenges. We help visitors and the public learn how to look out for our little locals by keeping dogs on a leash, giving penguins space, and driving carefully around coastal areas.

Preserving Habitat

Little penguins aren’t exactly master builders. In the natural world, they dig into soil and sand or squeeze into rocky crevasses and tree roots to make their burrows. But these fragile homes can easily collapse or be destroyed by the elements.

To give them an extra helping hand, we’ve designed safe, durable wooden boxes. These man-made burrows provide a long-lasting alternative and have significantly boosted breeding success. So far, we’ve installed over 380 in the colony.

Rehabilitation

Our rehabilitation centre provides a safe haven for penguins in need—whether they’re sick, injured, or just need extra help during moulting season. While most of our patients are little penguins, we also care for other species, including the endangered hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin) and tawaki (fiordland crested penguin).

To prepare them for release, we test their swimming skills to ensure their feathers are waterproof, feed them up, and help prepare for their release back to the wild. Regular weigh-ins track their progress, and once they’ve passed all their tests, they’re released back into the ocean.

Monitoring

Monitoring is another important method of conducting research on the penguins. We’ve carried out weekly monitoring ever since we opened in 1993. Our staff visit every nest in the colony to record the microchip number of the penguins and how many eggs and chicks they have. Now, we have comprehensive records about nearly every penguin that has lived here.

This helps us understand all about the population’s breeding success and survival, particularly in response to environmental change.

Head over to our blog page to learn more in-depth information about our monitoring work.

Tagging and Tracking

We attach data loggers to penguins to track their foraging behaviour, examine time spent away from the colony, and learn about their diving depths and movement patterns.

These cool little devices give us a rare glimpse into a penguin’s life at sea. By analysing the data, we’ve gained new insights about where the penguins go while at sea, how often and how deep they dive, and how climate change and weather conditions (such as storms) can impact them.

Results

Thanks to our monitoring work, we know our penguins have some of the highest breeding success recorded for the species. We have a good understanding of the main threats the penguins face and what might happen to the penguins in the future.

The average survival rate of adults is 85% and the population has increased by around 8% every year.

Ōamaru Penguins is an example of where well-managed tourism can benefit focal species like the little penguins.