Around 100 dead little blue penguins have been found dumped along the DOC track in the Cable Bay area. Photo / Supplied
Around 100 dead little blue penguins have been found dumped along the DOC track in the Cable Bay area. Photo / Supplied
The Department of Conservation believes 100 dead blue penguins dumped along a walking track in Northland may be from people picking them up and placing them there.
The Cable Bay community is horrified by the mass dumping of the little blue penguins or kororā on a Department of Conservation (DOC) track that leads down to Chucks Cove from Powells Road.
Cable Bay resident Fran Parsonage speculated that the penguins may have been caught in an illegal net and brought on shore.
"Anyone who picks penguins up is usually caring enough to bury them," she said.
Parsonage described locals as horrified by the act and was saddened they were constantly losing little blue penguins around the coast.
"These ones, they had obviously been dumped and someone took the trouble to pick them up and just dispose of them on the bank, which is very disgusting," she said.
Around 100 dead little blue penguins have been found dumped along the DOC track in the Cable Bay area. Photo / Supplied
Pauline Wilson was the first to notice a foul smell on Wednesday night but dismissed it, thinking it was a dead possum.
Wilson said it turned a lot worse by Friday when she walked past the DOC track.
"One of the neighbours in the area, he walked his dog and went down and investigated. That is when he found them.
"These are not just washed-up penguins; they have actually been dumped here."
Meirene Hardy-Birch, DOC Kaitaia Operations Manager, said a similar incident was recently reported at Rangikapiti Pā Historic Reserve of dead penguins being collected and placed in one spot.
Hardy-Birch urged everyone to leave dead penguins on the beach where they lie, to be washed out to sea or to decompose naturally.
"It is a seasonal event due to La Niña conditions. This brings increased sea-surface temperatures and onshore winds to New Zealand.
"These conditions can make it more challenging for kororā to nest and feed."
Two more incidents of little blue penguins or kororā found dead at Tokerau Beach on May 2 and 8 this year were reported to DOC.
MPI investigation post necropsy showed signs of starvation and hypothermia in the dead penguins.
An MPI spokesperson said until the cause of death of the penguins in Cable Bay is not determined, they would not be able to comment.
Dr John Cockrem, the little penguin biologist from Massey University, said the number of penguins found dead was a little unusual but suggested Northland's warmer sea temperature could be the cause.
"When the sea temperature is warm, the cooler water that's down below the surface does not mix with the surface water as much, so there is no mixing of nutrients in the surface water.
"So the whole food chain is impacted, meaning less fish and less food for the penguins."
Cockrem said there could be large-scale penguin deaths in autumn and winter, related to rough weather.
"Deaths of large numbers of penguins and other sea birds is a natural phenomenon and, in the past, it has only happened very occasionally.
"It is a consequence of what is happening out at sea, which is a consequence of the weather and in relation to climate change, the warmer sea temperatures that have been occurring quite often.
"Climate change is likely to lead to the La Niña weather pattern becoming more frequent."
Little blue penguin biologist from Massey University, Dr John Cockrem explains the co-relation between climate change and penguin deaths in Northland. Photo / Supplied
Given the sea conditions in Northland, Cockrem said, it would not be surprising if there were more deaths.
"...until the sea around Northland cools down and there would be better feeding conditions for penguins.
"In the long term, particularly in Northland, where the sea is going to be warmer for longer and hotter than it has been in the previous decades, it is likely to make it more difficult for the penguins in the region."
Cockrem said the little penguin numbers, where there were more people and dogs, were gradually going down across the country.
"In addition, these effects of changing weather patterns are going to be much more pronounced in Northland than somewhere in South Island, where the weather is colder.
"Little penguins down south are not going to be affected so much and so quickly, as opposed to them in Northland."
