Give a penguin a fish, and you feed him for a day.

Our team at the International Antarctic Centre has been helping penguin rehabbers around the South Island by providing fish for their hungry penguins. This initiative began following severe storms in Canterbury in late 2021, which destroyed many nests at the local colony, Pohatu. Pohatu Penguins have long protected these birds, while the International Antarctic Centre provides a home for their permanently disabled Kororā or Little Penguins that can no longer return to the wild.

Following the storm, over 30 penguin chicks were taken into care and were in desperate need of fish. An urgent delivery was made, along with nesting boxes to replace the damaged burrows. With those penguin chicks saved, our Penguin Keepers at the International Antarctic Centre directed their attention to other rehabbers in need of fish. These include the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony and Penguin Rescue. Both groups take in injured or malnourished penguins, care for them and return them to the wild once they are healthy.

While they care for all penguins, Moeraki based Penguin Rescue specialises in caring for our endangered Hoiho or Yellow-eyed Penguins. Our fish got delivered at a pivotal time for Penguin Rescue; with their stock running low and unable to provide enough food for their hungry penguins, it was an immense help to the organisation. The fish donations have allowed these groups to successfully rehab and save numerous Kororā, Hoiho, Tawaki or Fiordland-crested Penguins, Erect-crested Penguins and even Rockhopper Penguins.

Photo credit: Pohatu Penguins