November 2009

20 November 2009
Fiordland penguins increasing
(New Zealand)
Judging by the record number of sightings of rare Fiordland crested penguins, pest control measures are paying dividends, says Milford Sound tourism operator Real Journeys.
Read Otago Daily Times article

19 November 2009
Chicks missing after intruders trample penguin colony
(Australia)
Warrnambool’s endangered little penguin colony has been jeopardised by trespassers tampering with breeding boxes and trampling burrows on Middle Island. Two chicks are missing, believed dead, after the trespassing this week.
Read The Warrnambool Standard article

Little penguin tales
(Australia)
The annual Kingscote Penguin Census on Kangaroo Island in South Australia is beginning to reveal trends in the little penguin population. Comparative data from three consecutive years show a slight downward trend in numbers of active burrows from the high of 2007. This could be the result of a number of factors, but it could also signal a downward trend in the population size.
Read The Islander article

13 November 2009
Emperor penguin "prepares to take photo"
(Antarctica)
Photographer David Schultz got extremely lucky when he snapped an emperor penguin looking through the viewfinder of his camera in Antarctica as two others appeared to pose for a photograph.
Read Telegraph article

12 November 2009
No rescue blues for baby fledged penguins
(South Africa)
Declining fish stocks mean that South Africa's "baby blues" (recently fledged African penguins) are finding it hard to find food, and many are malnourished. South African Marine Rehabilitation Centre (SAMREC) has been amazed by the public's rescue response to these young birds. People have been finding penguins washed up on beaches and bringing them in or contacting SAMREC to report them. SAMREC rehabilitates the birds and releases them back into the wild.
Watch The Weekend Post Online video

10 November 2009
Ancient penguin DNA raises doubts about accuracy of genetic dating
(Antarctica)
Penguins that died 44,000 years ago in Antarctica have provided extraordinary frozen DNA samples that challenge the accuracy of traditional genetic aging measurements, and suggest those approaches have been routinely underestimating the age of many specimens by 200-600%.
Read Oregon State University news release

4 November 2009
Ecoworld Aquarium nicknamed two little blue penguin chicks "Bert and Ernie"
(New Zealand)
In response to a distress call from a concerned member of the public, the manager of Ecoworld in Picton rescued two starving little blue penguin chicks from the Picton foreshore. They were found next to the mauled body of an adult penguin. The two chicks, named Bert and Ernie, are now thriving on their diet of salmon smelt.
Read Zoo and Aquarium Visitor article

3 November 2009
Picky penguin gets her man back
(Germany)
Allwetterzoo Münster's unusual love story began 13 years ago when African penguin Sandy fell in love with her (human) keeper Peter Vollbracht. Then, after 10 years of treating Peter as her mate, Sandy ditched him for male penguin Tom and the penguin couple hatched two chicks together. But Tom died this September, and Sandy's affection for Peter has returned.
Read Spiegel Online article

2 November 2009
Little penguins in baby boom
(Australia)
Little penguins are experiencing a baby boom at Victoria's Phillip Island and St Kilda colonies. Breeding started early at the Phillip Island colony of 26,000 birds and researchers hope many penguins will have a second brood this season.
Read The Age article

	Web penguin.net.nz