Penguin life style under scrutiny

The blue penguins at the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony quarry site, along with resident marine biologist Philippa Agnew, are about to be part of a three-year research project which could help predict future population trends of the species.

To monitor sea journies to feed, penguins will be fitted with a GPS device or time-depth recorders that will provide data for a research project Ms Agnew is undertaking.

The research is part of the expanded programme at the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony, and will result in her completing a PhD in marine science. It has been nearly 18 months in the making.

Consultation with local iwi, Department of Conservation and Otago University's animal welfare ethics committee have all taken time.

It took a few months just to sources the data recorders and GPS units suitable for the study, along with planned upgrades and developments at the colony to ensure accurate data collection.

Ms Agnew has a Masters degree in marine science from the University of Otago, for which she researched blue penguins at Pilots Beach, at Taiaroa Head. During her studies she also worked at the Royal Albatross Centre.

She came to the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony in 2006.

"This new project will look at the foraging behaviour of the blue penguins in relation to their breeding and population biology. The data gathered, along with other information such as sea surface temperatures, will provide an insight into how blue penguins' feeding habits relate to breeding, which can then be applied to gauge the possible success of future breeding seasons," Ms Agnew said.

The study will use 10 small GPS recorders which are smaller than a matchbox and weigh about 14 grams. Because blue penguins are small, the units had to be correspondingly small and light, so as not to affect their normal behaviour.