Penguin parade
VulcanSpirit
Richard & Alison Brunstrom
Fri 3 May 2013 12:18
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NZ has three types of penguin breeding around the
coasts of the two main islands, and others on the sub-antarctic islands to the
south. One species, the Blue or Fairy Penguin (the world's smallest penguin)
remains quite common around the whole coast right up to Cape reinga, but the
other two are really quite rare and restricted to the southern parts of South
Island.
Penguins, though very highly adapted, are
birds of course, and as such have feathers which they need to moult - onshore.
The very rare Yellow Eyed Penguin Megadyptes antipodes has a
tougher time than most in this regard; they have to come ashore for a whole 28
days to undertake a full moult of all their feathers. Here is one preening
itself at the very start of his moult:
 Being so busy he declined to raise his head up for
my picture, but you can get a nice appreciation of the feather patterns on his
back.
Here is another, this time one which has all but
finished his moult:
 He has been standing in the same spot in the dunes
behind a beach for a whole month. Not eating, not running about, not playing
with his mates, but just standing there while his feathers fall out - as
you can see from the doughnut shape around him. Obviously during this time
they are very vulnerable to predation, which didn't matter in the millions of
years before humans because there wasn't any, but now their beaches require
strict protection, particularly from dogs. A sad looking figure he cuts, I
think, but it's part of his natual existence and very soon he'll be walking the
ridiculous Charlie Chaplin walk back home to the sea and a good fresh fish
dinner. I bet he can't wait.
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