Penguin rehab centre running short of fish for feeding
Penguin rehabilitators in the south are crying out for more fish.
Penguin Place is a wildlife venture that includes a penguin hospital on Otago Peninsula. They have a week of fish left before they run out of feed for their convalescing birds.
Emma Curtin, one of Penguin Place's rehabilitators, says their usual suppliers have run out of the type of fish they need – salmon smolt or silverside, from 15 to 20cm long.
The penguins need to add extra kilos to carry them through their moult which will start over the next month. They eat about a kilo of fish each per day.
The south has also received an unprecedented number of penguins attacked by barracouta. It's not known why the aggressive fish is attacking the birds, but it is causing some severe injuries, including lacerations to the penguins' feet and lower abdomen.
Nearly 50 penguins have been brought into rehab centres suffering from barracouta bites.
The Yellow Eyed Penguin Trust has started an appeal to help with vet fees and nutrient tablets among other things.
Account details for donations to the appeal are:
Account: SBS Bank
Account name: Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust
Account number 031355-0549558-00
Reference: Baracouta
