Wednesday 25 October 2017

Penguin Pop up Party Gives Dunedin the Blues

Penguins are due to descend on Dunedin’s Octagon at 3pm today for a penguin pop-up party to celebrate Blue Penguins Pukekura’s 5th birthday.

Otago Peninsula Trust’s Manager of Operations Taiaroa Head, Hoani Langsbury says “We’re bringing a pop up party to the city centre so everyone may attend, share some cake and have the chance to win prizes. Five years ago, in 2012, the Pukekura Trust constructed a viewing platform and boardwalk at Pilots Beach, to provide the most natural way to view Kororā, the Little Blue Penguin, the world’s smallest penguin without disturbing them. Today’s celebration is a thank you to Dunedin locals for their support of the operation; Blue Penguins Pukekura is consistently in the top 10 of Tripadvisor attractions and holds a Certificate of Excellence, this is due to fantastic Dunedin support”.

A person size penguin box will appear with treats for the partygoers. The first 50 children under 10 years to pop by with the answer to the question “What colour are a Blue Penguin’s feet?” will win a blue penguin toy. Prize draws for vouchers for family visits and birthday cake will be served.

Hoani adds “Dunedin people can feel proud that funds raised from the not-for-profit trust go straight back into penguin projects. Blue Penguins Pukekura is a sterling example of the positive effect tourism can have on the environment and species protection. Dunedin leads the way as the Wildlife Capital of New Zealand”.

Otago Peninsula Trust CEO Robyn McDonald says “Five years is a milestone-worth celebration. Blue Penguins Pukekura is operated as The Pukekura Trust, a kaitiaki guardianship partnership between the Otago Peninsula Trust and the Korako Karetai Trust. The increased financial support from visitors to the attraction has provided the penguin population with the chance to flourish thanks to the increased level of predator control, revegetation projects, scientific research and the construction of nest-boxes required to successfully raise penguin young free from harm. In the past five years penguin numbers have dramatically increased to over 200 breeding pairs thanks to the hard work of all of the stakeholders involved in the Blue Penguins Pukekura project, Visitor numbers have grown rapidly in five years to nearly 18,000 annually”

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