One of the most ''disastrous breeding seasons'' in recent years has hit endangered yellow-eyed penguin colonies along Otago's coast. ''This is the worst season I've ever seen and it's not over yet,'' Department of Conservation ranger Mel Young said. It follows last season's ''mass mortality'' when a mystery illness, possibly caused by a marine toxin,…

A sudden influx of 80 mostly starving yellow-eyed penguins is stretching the resources of Otago Peninsula's penguin ''hospital''. ''Some, when they first came in, looked awful. They were skinny and sunken-in,'' Penguin Place rehabilitation co-ordinator Julia Clement said. About 80kg of fish is needed each day to help the penguins gain enough weight so they…

A bird in the hands was a catch of a different kind for five Dunedin fishermen who joined the Southern Seabird Solutions Trust, Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust and the Department of Conservation on a blue penguin hunt at Long Point, in the Catlins, last week. Click here to read the whole story on odt.co.nz…

The Holiday Accommodation Parks Association of New Zealand (HAPNZ) is proud to announce  its strategic alliance with EcoWai, premium, New Zealand bottled spring water for the direct benefit of the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust (YEPT). Now, Ecowai branded, pure New Zealand sourced and bottled spring water will be available for purchase at participating holiday park association…

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/279180/yellow-eyed-penguin-nest-numbers-down…

More than 170 people will attend a conference in Dunedin this month aimed at helping ''citizen-initiated'' conservation meet the challenges it is facing as the responsibility for looking after New Zealand's biodiversity increasingly falls on the community. Conservation Inc, to be held at the Dunedin Centre on October 17 and 18, is being organised by…