Plea to inoculate penguins

Inoculation is needed for penguin chicks to combat avian diphtheria, says a Katiki Point Penguin Trust representative.

Janice Jones, who set up the trust to oversee the colony at the southern end of the Moeraki peninsula, 35km southwest of Oamaru, said a strategy already used for another rare bird should be considered.

"DoC [the Department of Conservation] inoculated the kakapo to save them from disease. I think they should do something similar for the penguins and albatross," Mrs Jones said.

It was reported last week that Massey University scientists had found blue penguins and albatrosses to be carriers of avian diphtheria.

Mrs Jones said muttonbirds, fleas and bloodsuckers had been suggested as carriers of the disease. Climatic change was also a factor.

"In 2002, when the disease first hit, it was a particularly wet spring and summer, and this year it has been similar."

Volunteers are monitoring Katiki Point yellow-eyed penguin chicks every day. But a few chicks are now off medication and their monitoring has been cut back to every three days.

Chicks are born between September 30 and early December.

Volunteer ranger Daniel Bidwell said the first 10 weeks were critical and eggs this year had been laid up to November 5.

A treatment programme was under way and video footage would be used to help other colonies deal with any future outbreaks.

- NZPA