Projects

		Yelllow-eyed Penguin Trust With less than 500 breeding pairs of yellow-eyed penguins remaining, the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust aims to increase numbers of this endangered, native NZ species by restoring coastal environments and controlling predators along the east coast of the South Island.

In the 1980s, research on the Otago Peninsula highlighted that due to severe predation and loss of habitat, the yellow-eyed penguin population had declined severely, and was now an endangered species. So in 1987 Dunedin conservationists formed the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust, with the aim of saving the penguin by restoring coastal forest and controlling predators.

Since then the Trust has worked closely with the Department of Conservation to:

• restore habitats where penguins could potentially breed and raise their young
• trap predators eg mustelids which threaten all NZ birds
• conduct research programmes to find out more about this secretive and shy bird
• create their own nursery where plants sourced from local seed, are grown and then planted out in the appropriate habitat to provide shelter and nesting sites for the penguins
• educate the public, landowners, scientists and individuals re the plight of the penguin and what they can do to help

The grant from the Vodafone NZ Foundation is supporting the Trust to continue its basic habitat protection work by employing a Ranger who will manage the revegetation programme and predator control work on reserves along the Otago and Southland coastline, and generate support for the Trust through supervision of the growing number of volunteer and local community groups who contribute significantly to the Trust’s work.

For the enjoyment of all New Zealanders, the Foundation looks forward to the day when the yellow-eyed penguin, one of NZ’s flagship native species, is removed from the enadangered species list.