Cameron (12) and Kimberley (11) spent Saturday with Department of Conservation ranger Kevin Pearce, their prize for winning their respective age sections in a regional Mainland poster competition, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust.
They visited the blue penguin colony at Oamaru Harbour and the yellow-eyed penguin colony at Bushy Beach before travelling to Nenthorn and Golden Point.
They rounded off the day with a visit to the Moeraki lighthouse and Katiki Point wildlife reserve guardian Rosalie Goldsworthy.
Mrs Goldsworthy showed them her ‘‘Accident and Emergency'' ward of sick and injured penguins, including one skinny chick which was picked up that day with an injured foot.
The penguins were all named: there was Sylvester, Rocky, Lynley, Rambo (‘‘because he's a total nutter'') and the prone-tovomiting Mr Happiness.
As well as showing the children how to feed the birds, Mrs Goldsworthy demonstrated how to handle them to avoid getting whacked by a flipper, which was ‘‘really painful''.
Kimberley said her favourite part of the day was seeing the moulting blue penguins, while Cameron particularly enjoyed the trip to Golden Point.
