Experts share ideas on protecting penguins
Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony science and environmental manager Dr Philippa Agnew welcomed 113 attendees to the Oamaru Penguin Symposium last week. PHOTO: NIC DUFF
More than 100 passionate penguin experts descended on Oamaru last week for the town's biggest Penguin Symposium.
Held over two days, the 14th Oamaru Penguin Symposium attracted 113 people to the Oamaru Opera House.
Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony science and environmental manager Dr Philippa Agnew said it was a chance to share ideas and engage in discussions about "how to better protect our penguins".
"It's really cool hearing about the different ideas that people have and the projects that they're working on."
People had come from all over the country.
Guests included scientists, researchers, students and Department of Conservation staff.
"It's a really great opportunity for everyone to get together when they don't see each other that often.
"I just really look forward to catching up with people that I haven't seen for a while and just building those connections."
The event is held every two years and began in the late 1990s.
It started as the little penguin symposium and has since evolved to include all species of penguins.
"We get the occasional talk that is about non-penguin seabird species."
The penguin colony gave a talk on the first day during which staff member Beth Tremlett presented the initial findings from a project they began six months ago.
They attached miniature video loggers to the penguins to learn more about what goes on when they are out at sea.
"There's lots going on out there that we simply don't know about," Dr Agnew said.
"It's really important for us to look at some of those impacts of turbidity and storm events and see what the sediment is doing throughout the season.
"It's just another tool that helps us understand more about the penguins' lives."
The attendees went to watch the penguin viewing at the penguin colony at the end of the first day.
"A lot of them won't have been before.
"It's great to share that with them."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Oarfish found on Dunedin beach 'not a harbinger of doom'
A dead oarfish lies in the sand at Aramoana Beach this week. A recent sighting of the long pelagic fish in Tasmania prompted a flurry of international headlines about the rare ''doomsday'' fish. PHOTO: SHARON CAMPBELL An oarfish that recently washed up on Dunedin's Aramoana Beach is likely not a "harbinger of doom", but it is "certainly an unusual sight and a special one", the Department of Conservation (Doc) says. A reader sent the Otago Daily Times photos of one of the rare deep-sea fish after it washed ashore at Aramoana earlier this week. Sightings of the long, ribbon-like fish often prompt talk of "doomsday fish", or recollections of Japanese folklore, in which sightings of oarfish were believed to be signs of imminent earthquakes or tsunamis. However, Doc marine species manager Malene Felsing said "as for being a 'harbinger of doom' — that's more myth than marine biology." "In some cultures, oarfish have been linked to folklore and natural disasters, but there's no scientific evidence to support those beliefs," she said. "Sometimes these stories resurface because the fish are so rarely seen and have an almost otherworldly appearance." Dr Felsing said oarfish sightings in New Zealand were "very rare". The deep-sea fish usually lived at depths of 200m to 1000m, and only seemed to wash up onshore when they were unwell or dying. "While they're not unheard of in our waters, they're certainly an unusual sight and a special one." The reader said they found the fish near Bear Rock one June 3. "I reckon it would have been 3-4 metres long. I don't believe it's a harbinger of doom, and I have never seen one before." Dr Felsing said temperate and tropical oceans worldwide, including around New Zealand, provided a habitat for the oarfish, but they were more commonly encountered in the northern hemisphere. "Because they live in such deep water, they're rarely seen alive, which adds to their mystery and appeal." Doc typically did not get involved in strandings of deep-sea fish such as oarfish, unless there was some sort of risk posed to people or other species. "However, they are fascinating specimens, and any sighting is a great opportunity to learn more about our marine biodiversity."
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
One fish, long fish, dead fish, oarfish
A dead oarfish lies in the sand at Aramoana Beach this week. A recent sighting of the long pelagic fish in Tasmania prompted a flurry of international headlines about the rare ''doomsday'' fish. PHOTO: SHARON CAMPBELL An oarfish that recently washed up on Dunedin's Aramoana Beach is likely not a "harbinger of doom", but it is "certainly an unusual sight and a special one", the Department of Conservation (Doc) says. A reader sent the Otago Daily Times photos of one of the rare deep-sea fish after it washed ashore at Aramoana earlier this week. Sightings of the long, ribbon-like fish often prompt talk of "doomsday fish", or recollections of Japanese folklore, in which sightings of oarfish were believed to be signs of imminent earthquakes or tsunamis. However, Doc marine species manager Malene Felsing said "as for being a 'harbinger of doom' — that's more myth than marine biology." "In some cultures, oarfish have been linked to folklore and natural disasters, but there's no scientific evidence to support those beliefs," she said. "Sometimes these stories resurface because the fish are so rarely seen and have an almost otherworldly appearance." Dr Felsing said oarfish sightings in New Zealand were "very rare". The deep-sea fish usually lived at depths of 200m to 1000m, and only seemed to wash up onshore when they were unwell or dying. "While they're not unheard of in our waters, they're certainly an unusual sight and a special one." Temperate and tropical oceans worldwide, including around New Zealand, provided a habitat for the oarfish, but they were more commonly encountered in the northern hemisphere. "Because they live in such deep water, they're rarely seen alive, which adds to their mystery and appeal," Dr Felsing said. Doc typically did not get involved in strandings of deep-sea fish such as oarfish, unless there was some sort of risk posed to people or other species. "However, they are fascinating specimens, and any sighting is a great opportunity to learn more about our marine biodiversity."
Otago Daily Times
22-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Native treasures collected
Dunedin Botanic Garden apprentice Jess Freeman was part of a recent plant collection trip in Central Otago. Every day at the Dunedin Botanic Garden, staff are involved in the work of plant conservation. This includes not just threatened species, but also more common ones required for public display and education. The work also extends beyond the boundary of the garden's grounds. In one recent trip, staff ventured into the Old Man Range, in Central Otago, to find and collect seeds and cuttings to extend the treasures nurtured in Dunedin — in this case for adding to the garden's new mini-mountain display. There were strict guidelines for the work, set out in a Department of Conservation (Doc) authorisation, which, among other things, placed limits on the quantity and type of material that could be collected. The team could take a limited quantity of propagation material per species on this visit. Depending on the species it was possible to collect a maximum of 10 cuttings less than 15cm long each, five divisions less than 3cm across, and up to 20 fruit per species. Actual quantities collected, details of the trip and propagation success and conservation implications were required to be reported back to Doc. Garden apprentice Jess Freeman was part of the team on the trip and says the limits are crucial to ensure the plants can continue to regenerate and thrive in their natural habitat. "It's great to know that while we're gathering these specimens to grow, we're also being mindful of the long-term health of the ecosystem." The destination for the trip was the Kopuwai Conservation Area, near Alexandra, in the Old Man Range. On the day, cloud clung close to the hills, limiting visibility. Even still, as staff made their way up the mountain, changes in the plant habitat were immediately obvious. Having started in country dominated by tussocks swaying in the chilly morning breeze, the team ascended into a rockier landscape in which plants shrank dramatically in size. By the time the team reached the summit, the plants were much smaller, their ground-hugging strategies perfectly adapted to the harsher conditions. "The fog added an eerie, sci-fi movie vibe to the scene, especially as we passed rock tors and expanses of rocky soil. It was the kind of place you'd expect to find aliens or at least a cool plot twist," Freeman says. At the top, where the 26m rock tor Kopuwai, or the Obelisk, stands, it was time to focus on the business of locating native species. "We took our time to familiarise ourselves with the range of plants in this rocky, fog-filled wilderness. Sometimes scratching our heads, but that's part of the fun." One of the most memorable finds was Myosotis pulvinaris , she says, which was producing its little white flowers despite the challenges of the alpine environment. M pulvinaris , or "mountain forget-me-not," is known for its resilience, adapted for its niche in such rocky and windswept environments. "I love how it is a little reminder that even in the toughest conditions, nature still finds a way to thrive," Freeman says. The team's next find was Craspedia lanata , which look like something you'd expect to see at the bottom of the ocean rather than in the mountains, she says. " Craspedia lanata — also known as woollyhead — has these cute round flower heads, and spotting these in their natural environment felt like finding treasure." By the time they had exhausted the day, the botanic garden team had managed to collect a more than worthwhile haul of specimens from the area, including divisions, cuttings and seeds. There were Myosotis pulvinaris divisions, with compact, silvery-grey to grey-green, hairy cushion-forming growth habit; Raoulia grandiflora divisions, a plant with an interesting "piled-up" look to it, like nature's own little rock garden; Raoulia subsericea divisions, a plant known for its fuzzy, silvery leaves; Raoulia hectorii var. mollis seeds, a tough, low-growing species that thrives in the alpine conditions of the region; Craspedia lanata glomerules, with the little flower heads that are so iconic to the species; Celmisia viscosa seed, which shares with other Celmisia species its quite unique, leathery, silvery leaves built to survive some of the harshest conditions. Also collected were cuttings from Veronica buchananii , a small compact plant that adds a pop of colour in the alpine landscape, and Ozomanthus leptophyllus , a bit of a mouthful to say, a plant with small, narrow leaves and delicate flowers. After a life-saving coffee break in the Old Man Range's blistering cold, the team moved back down the mountain, experiencing the same noticeable shift in habitat, but in reverse. The tussock returned, accompanied by the other plants of the lower slopes. That being the case, there were more finds to be made. There were seeds from Melycitus alpinus , a native shrub with small clustered flowers that attract bees and other pollinators. "I found one growing in between two slate rocks on the ground and about 6cm tall instead of its bushy form. Almost growing like moss would in a gap. Very resilient!" Freeman says. Had the team not collected Acaena saccatipula seeds, the plant may well have helped collect itself. The plants have prickly seedheads that can stick to clothing — their secret weapon for spreading around. Another Celmisia species joined the day's collection, this time Celmisia argentea seeds. Its silver leaves make it stand out, like something straight from a frosty wonderland. Argentea means "silvery", so it is well named. Finally, and very carefully, the garden team harvested some seeds from Aciphylla aurea [commonly known as golden spaniard or speargrass]. "A stunning alpine plant with sharp, spiky leaves and golden flower heads," Freeman says. "It is like nature's own version of a defence system. Wouldn't want to fall into one!" Each collection was placed in a labelled bag for safe keeping. Clean tools were used during collection as a general precaution against spreading disease in the environment. Back at the botanic garden, the team prepared a free-draining potting mix similar to what would be used with growing succulent plants in the garden's care. The mix consists of four parts of the garden's standard pine bark mix, one part sand, one part perlite and one part gravel. The seeds were gently sown on top of the mix in seedling pots and lightly covered with a thin layer of gravel to protect them. The cuttings and divisions were potted into terracotta pots and placed deep into the garden's outside sand bed, which regulates temperature in a similar way to their natural environment, while the porous terracotta allows water to escape. The softer and more vulnerable cuttings were planted into tubes, in the same mix, and placed in a propagation house close to the misting bench. They will be potted up when they get established.
