Environmentalist Lorraine Adams with signs she has put up
warning penguins to keep out of an area cleared at Oamaru
Harbour. Photo by David Bruce.
Clearance work at Oamaru Harbour has destroyed habitat
for blue penguins, leaving up to 30 homeless, but the Waitaki
District Council says it has done everything to ensure none of
the birds were harmed.
Environmentalist Lorraine Adams, who watches over the
penguins at the harbour, said if she had known about the
work, she would have been "lying in front of the bulldozer".
The work was carried out last week and Miss Adams estimated
that when she was down there on Saturday night there were
about 30 penguins, chicks and moulting birds wandering around
wondering where their nesting areas had gone.
But the Waitaki District Council said the work needed to be
done.
The Department of Conservation (Doc) was consulted, Oamaru
Penguin Colony resident marine biologist Philippa Agnew
oversaw the clearance and spotters were used in front of the
digger to make sure no penguins were harmed.
The opportunity was taken to clear the hawthorn bushes
alongside work being done to extend Wansbeck St down to the
harbour.
Harbourside project co-ordinator Rex Stringer said there were
not only penguins in the bushes but also large rats and
rabbits.
Old rubbish dumped in the area was also removed.
"I felt we did everything we could to make sure no penguins
were harmed," he said.
Ms Agnew monitored the clearance and relocated penguins that
were found.
Spotters were in front of the digger to watch for birds.
However, Miss Adams was angry about the work which, she said,
should have been delayed until the moulting and breeding
seasons were finished some time next month.
She put up warning signs for penguins to keep out to draw
attention to what had occurred, as well as providing about 10
nesting boxes to house moulting birds and chicks.
On Friday, when she saw what had been done, she was "shocked"
and "quite sad".
Harbour committee chairman Gary Kircher felt contractors had
done well to minimise the effects on the penguins.
"We make sure penguins are not affected because they are a
great asset."
The blue penguin was a hardy bird and always found other
places to nest, he said.
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