Penguin Rescue
Burke’s Backyard visited Taronga Zoo’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic, where thirteen Little Penguins have been recuperating. The penguins were found in the Sydney region from Bondi to Palm Beach, and taken to the zoo by caring members of the community. Some were sick and injured and others were quite healthy, but they were all moulting. The moult is a very risky time for Little Penguins. The structure of their feathers breaks down until they’re no longer waterproof, so it’s difficult for the penguins to swim or fish. They spend up to three months sheltering among rocky outcrops on shore. During this time they lose around half of their total body weight, and in urban areas many are attacked by predators like cats and dogs.
Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor)
The Little Penguin is the smallest of all penguins, and the only one to breed in Australia. On land they stand upright and walk or hop awkwardly, but they’re very well adapted to life at sea. They have modified wings, or flippers, which they use for propulsion, and strong webbed feet for steering. The life expectancy of Little Penguins is about seven years, but they have been known to live to twenty one years in captivity. They are found from the mid-north coast of New South Wales to the southern region of Western Australia.
Release
The aim of the rehabilitation officers at Taronga Zoo is to return the penguins to the wild as soon as possible. On the day of our visit eight birds were weighed and flipper tagged, loaded into special pet packs and taken to the release site. They became very excited as they neared the water, and when the cages were opened they made a beeline for the ocean. Even though the surf was up the Little Penguins had no trouble sailing through the waves to freedom.
Further information
Taronga Zoo is at Bradley’s Head Road, Mosman, NSW, 2088. Phone (02) 9969 2777.
For information about helping an injured animal, or becoming involved with wildlife rescue contact the service listed for your state.
NSW: Wildlife and Information Rescue Service (WIRES), phone: (02) 9975 1633
VIC: The Wildlife Care Network, phone: 0500 540 000
SA: Fauna Rescue, phone: (08) 8289 0896
QLD: Orphan Native Re-Release Program (ONARR) phone: (07) 3375 4620, Inala Community Conservation Association (ICCA), phone: (07) 3203 5169
WA: Conservation and Land Management, phone: (08) 9334 0251, Fauna Rehabilitation Foundation, phone, (08) 9249 3434
NT: Wildlife Rescue, phone: (08) 8999 4536
TAS: Wildlife Section, Tasmania Department of Parks, Wildlife and Heritage, phone: (03) 6233 6556
ACT: ACT Wildlife Foundation, phone: (02) 6296 3114