The drop in numbers of yellow-eyed penguins was top of mind for the 70 people attendingt this year's Oamaru Penguin Symposium, organiser Dr Philippa Agnew says.
Dr Agnew, who is the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony's research scientist, said while the 11th symposium dealt with a range of seabirds and issues, the plight of the yellow-eyed penguin dominated discussion between the more than 20 presentations over Thursday and Friday last week.
``People are really worried about it,'' she said.
``People are aware of the range of issues that the species is facing and just trying to work out the best way forward to try to deal with those issues.''
Researchers, students, conservationists and rehabilitation groups at the symposium also participated in two workshops.
Thursday's workshop on conservation and research priorities for New Zealand penguins was followed by Friday's workshop on human-wildlife interactions, led by Dr Agnew, Penguin Rescue ornithologist Chris Lalas, the Department of Conservation's Cheryl Pullar and the Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust's Eric Shelton.
``Some people feel a bit like it is `doom and gloom', but
.. when they come to this sort of meeting and start talking with everybody else about what they're finding out, and potential solutions, I guess that's when people are encouraged,'' Dr Agnew said.
