That is Auckland Zoo’s vision and mission, and something Rosalie Goldsworthy hopes to achieve through Penguin Rescue.
Penguin Rescue has installed a camera at Katiki Point in Moeraki, livestreaming the area where the penguins come ashore.
Mrs Goldsworthy, the manager of Penguin Rescue, said if people were exposed to the penguins, they might care about them more.
By viewing the livestream, people could see the penguins behaving naturally and witness the ‘‘family life’’ of penguins.
But in order to cover the cost of the camera, Penguin Rescue needed at least 1000 followers on its YouTube channel, Penguin Rescue New Zealand.
Penguin Rescue is a group of volunteers who rescue sick and injured penguins, rehabilitate them and return them to the wild.
It did so without government support — though not by choice, Mrs Goldsworthy said.
‘‘Our birds are the poor cousin,’’ she said.
Each weekday, volunteers monitored the health of the takaraka or hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin), and intervened when necessary.
This season, they were observing 50 chicks, but were only two-thirds of the way through the season so were hoping for more to come.
Beyond subscribing to Penguin Rescue’s YouTube channel, people could help by making donations, buying the organisation’s fundraising calendar, and keeping their dogs on a lead while at the beach.
‘‘[The penguins’] biggest killer is still dogs.’’
People could also help by reporting any injured penguins they saw on the live-stream.
Mrs Goldsworthy said the best time to view the penguins was about 4pm, when they usually came home.
A link to the livestream can be found on Penguin Rescue’s website.
