Breaker Bay residents take penguin protection into their own hands

CAITLIN SALTER

September 16 2015

CAITLIN SALTER/FAIRFAX NZ

 

Wellington City councillor and Breaker Bay resident Ray Ahipene-Mercer takes Wiki, a stuffed female penguin, into schools to teach children about penguins.

Breaker Bay residents are taking no chances when it comes to nesting penguins and have started a community of dog walkers to cut the risk of dogs attacking penguins.

Allen Jenkins said residents started a dog walking group and have nearly 30 members.

"There are at least 35 dogs in Breaker Bay and there's a wonderful group of people catching up with their dogs to make sure people know where dogs are allowed," he said.

Dogs are not allowed on the coastal walkway from Tarakena Bay to Moa Point as it is a penguin nesting area, and dogs are a threat to penguin populations.

Dog owners in the area self-manage the problem of dogs around penguins and do not need it from outside groups such as Forest and Bird, he said.

Forest and Bird Wellington branch committee member Ken New said the Places for Penguins programme operates around the south coast to protect penguins from threats.

"We've identified the two principal threats to Wellington penguins are dogs and cars," he said.

Some Breaker Bay residents were concerned that the Places for Penguins Take the Lead campaign would see Forest and Bird observing residents without their consent.

Forest and Bird had planned to observe behaviour to quantify the threats to penguins in the area.
But when the residents were not happy about it, they did not do it, New said

"We really appreciate groups like Breaker Bay looking after the penguins because we don't have to," he said.

Wellington City councillor and Breaker Bay resident Ray Ahipene-Mercer said education was the most important tool for keeping the penguins safe.

"In the last 20 years we've seen a great change from antipathy to protection. We have to maintain the momentum with the education and think about further creative ways of getting the message across," he said.

Ahipene-Mercer speaks to schools in the area about penguins and their nesting habits.
One of the most effective changes in the community was the installation of penguin crossing signs in 1990, he said.

The signs were replaced this year after the originals had deteriorated in Breaker Bay's wild weather.
Nests built by Breaker Bay residents were constantly full and the population of the penguins had increased in recent years, Ahipene-Mercer said.

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