In recent years, the hospital has supported Doc’s kakapo recovery work by taking in hatchlings, dubbed "moss chickens", for treatment and hand-rearing where needed.
In addition, the hoiho/yellow-eyed penguin season had been busy, the hospital experiencing its usual influx of adults and juveniles.
Last week, the "seabird ward" was flat out, caring for five hoiho, a tawaki (Fiordland penguin), three korora (little penguins) and others.
Wildlife hospital manager Jordana Whyte said hoiho chick numbers were higher in the region this season, more than 130 having been recorded.
Department of Conservation rangers and Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust volunteers had uplifted many from Otago Peninsula and the Catlins, bringing them to the hospital for extra feeding and treatment for the common ailment avian diptheria.
"In most cases, we were able to treat the chicks for a few days and give them a feeding boost, before putting them back in the nest," Ms Whyte said.
"We are also seeing the usual injuries and foot wounds from predator bites."
The changeable weather would also have an impact on whether there were high numbers of starvation cases.
The Dunedin Wildlife Hospital, which celebrated its fourth birthday on January 15, has provided treatment for 54 kakapo adults and chicks, along with many other rare taonga species.
Since it opened in 2018, the wildlife hospital has cared for more than 2200 patients across 60 different species — most of them birds, but also some reptiles and mammals.
The most common patients have been hoiho/yellow-eyed penguins (649), kereru (350), kaki (44), tarapunga/red-billed gulls (188) and kakapo (54).
Last year, the wildlife hospital admitted 568 patients, with 41% classified as threatened and 37.7% as nationally critical or endangered.
Among them were 183 hoiho, which made up nearly one-third of the hospital’s entire case load.
Ms Whyte said none of the wildlife hospital’s work would be possible without the "incredible support" of Otago Polytechnic, along with many other financial supporters and a dedicated team of volunteers.
With a busy kakapo season ahead, due to a rimu "mast" [high seed production] meaning lots of food and lots of chicks, the hospital was putting special provisions in place, Ms Whyte said.
"It could be even bigger than the huge 2019 season," she said.
"We have recruited experienced people to help work with the chicks, with the support of Doc.
"There is a lot of preparation work — we have to completely quarantine the kakapo chicks. They are so tiny that they have no immune systems."
With fundraising opportunities limited by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital was relying more on individual donations to support its work, she said.
For more information, visit www.wildlifehospitaldunedin.org.nz or find them on Facebook.
BRENDA.HARWOOD @thestar.co.nz
