More penguins found dead

More little blue penguins are dying in droves along the Taranaki coast and a red algal bloom is the main suspect.

The Waikato Times yesterday reported that up to 50 penguins had been found washed up on beaches from Kawhia to Port Waikato.

Now there are reports that at least 40 little blue penguins have been washed up on beaches further south this week.

It was suggested yesterday the birds had starved, but their deaths could be a result of a red algal bloom which has been present in Taranaki waters for three weeks.

Two of the dead birds have been sent to Massey University for autopsies.

Department of Conservation (DOC) officer Bryan Williams said the deaths would have a small impact on the population but believed that it was large enough to sustain what was happening.

"If we start to get 100 to 200 birds I'd be starting to get concerned."

Mr Williams, who suggested the birds were killed by the poisonous bloom, said the same thing happened a few years ago.

Although it was unclear what caused algal blooms, some were linked to climatic fluctuations caused by El Nino.

The world's smallest penguin at 1kg and 35-40cm, the little blues spend their days swimming and eating fish, squid and crustaceans, before heading to their home beach at dark.

"Penguins drink salt water because they have special glands around the eye sockets that extract extra salt from the blood.

"They'll pick up the harmful algae when they drink," Mr Williams said

When it was suggested the birds had starved, Kerry-Jayne Wilson, of the West Coast Little Blue Penguin Trust, and DOC seabird specialist Graeme Taylor shared the view they were probably young birds who did not possess the hunting skills, knowledge or strength to deal with a lack of food fish species.

"It does sound like a lot, and certainly more than you would expect," Ms Wilson said.

"The young have just fledged, they're going to the sea for the first time ... and a lot of birds don't make that transition."

"But if birds are going to starve, this is the time of year you would expect it to happen," Ms Wilson said.

Ms Wilson and Mr Taylor said though the success of little blue penguin breeding seasons fluctuated from year to year, it was a concern so many young penguins had been found dead.

"If you get a change of water temperature, a change of food availability follows," Ms Wilson said.

She said the mainland little blue penguin population was "trending down", due mainly to predators such as dogs, stoats, ferrets and cats.

-with Taranaki Daily News

- © Fairfax NZ News