Percy the yellow-eyed penguin heads for the sea at Bushy
Beach. Photo by Sally Rae.
Percy the penguin is one high-flying bird.
After more than two months of rehabilitation and veterinary
care, Percy, a 1-year-old yellow-eyed penguin, was released
at Bushy Beach recently by local residents Colin Wolverson
and Sue Downton and Oamaru Veterinary Services vet Claire
Muir and quickly headed out to sea.
Percy was found unwell and first treated for fungal and
bacterial infections in August.
Department of Conservation staff and Mr Wolverson and Ms
Downton noticed the penguin, though recovering well from the
infections, was not oiling himself.
Doc ranger Kevin Pearce said he could not reach around to his
oiling gland.
There seemed to be something wrong with his neck and, after
consultation between staff at Oamaru Veterinary Services and
Massey University, it was decided to send the bird to the
university's wildlife hospital at Palmerston North.
A CT scan found Percy could not reach his oil gland because
of damaged ligament in his neck.
The ligament had returned to its usual flexibility and the
oil gland was easy for him to reach.
Percy's health and weight had returned to normal and, with
well-oiled feathers, he was now waterproof and able to go out
to sea.
Percy had returned to his old stomping ground "very round and
very feisty", Doc ranger Helen Jones said.
Mr Wolverson, who cared for Percy for about three and a-half
weeks, said he enjoyed his involvement with the yellow-eyed
penguins.
He chatted to tourists, helped them locate the birds and gave
them information.
The couple were now looking after two other penguins -
Kenneth, a juvenile yellow-eyed with a dislocated toe, and
Joan, a little blue with a "burnt bum", with guidance from
Massey University and Oamaru Veterinary Services.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.