Media release from Southern Discoveries

30 January 2012

Rare Penguins return to Milford Sound

The season’s first sighting of a rare Fiordland Crested Penguin or ‘Tawaki’ moulting took place yesterday afternoon as Southern Discoveries Kayak Guide Paul Park noticed a lone penguin near the Milford Sound Wharf.

The seabird looked to be taking in the view of the vessels at the wharf and marks the start of penguin moulting season that takes place every year from mid-January to early March.

Penguins are unusual in that they are one of the few bird species that moult all their feathers simultaneously. The moulting takes about two weeks and is very stressful to the birds - they cannot enter the sea during the moult because they have no waterproof, insulating coat. This means they do not feed and so lose up to half of their body weight during moulting. This leaves them highly vulnerable to predators at this time.

Douglas Keith, Southern Discoveries Milford Sound manager says the seabirds also visit in early spring when they come to the fiords for the nesting season, delighting visitors and nature guides aboard Encounter Cruises operated by Southern Discoveries.

“The Tawaki are an icon of Fiordland and one of the rarest penguins in the world. They come to moult at this time of year returning to the sea with new coats when they’re strong enough, then return to breed later in the year.

“They are a regular sight during the breeding season (July to November) but it’s always exciting for us to spot them and to know how rare and special they are. It’s always a highlight of our trips for visitors when we seem them in their natural environment.”

“Southern Discoveries Kayaking and Encounter Cruise offer fantastic experiences where people can get really close to nature. We’re very aware of our natural environment and work hard to make sure we gently view wildlife activity without disturbing it,” says Mr Keith.

Southern Discoveries is passionate about preserving Milford Sound’s beauty for future generations and works hard to ensure visitors leave with an understanding and respect for the wild environment. The company is also a key partner in a major Sinbad Sanctuary conservation project in Milford Sound for which it recently won an environment award.

ENDS

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