ALL media enquiries:
0800 774 554
(0800 SPILL INFO)
International media call:
+64 4 499 7318
Updated 3.00pm, 18 May 2012
All images in this gallery are available for re-use, provided the photographer or source is acknowledged.
 |
The last major release of penguins out at Motiti Island happened today. Catarina Cruz (left) age 11 of Tauranga, Marco Cruz, age 10 of Tauranga, Carlijn Bouwman from the wildlife centre, and Zeta Schuler, age 7 from Waihi at Motiti Island. |
 |
The last major release of penguins out at Motiti Island happened today. In foreground Carlijn Bouwman from the wildlife centre, and Zeta Schuler, age 7 from Waihi at Motiti Island. |
 |
The last major release of penguins out at Motiti Island happened today. Catarina Cruz (left) age 11 of Tauranga, Marco Cruz, age 10 of Tauranga, Carlijn Bouwman from the wildlife centre, and Zeta Schuler, age 7 from Waihi at Motiti Island. |
 |
Little blue penguins housed at Massey are going through their annual moulting process |
 |
Little blue penguins housed at Massey are going through their annual moulting process |
 |
Little blue penguins housed at Massey are going through their annual moulting process |
 |
A penguin being rehabilitated at the re-established Te Maunga wildlife facility |
 |
Little blue penguin release at Home Bay, western side of Motiti Island |
 |
Little blue penguin release at Home Bay, western side of Motiti Island |
 |
Carlijn Bouwman points a penguin in the right direction during a release at Motiti Island |
 |
A little blue penguin takes a wrong turn during a release at Motiti Island |
 |
Little blue penguin release at Motiti Island |
 |
Little blue penguin release at Motiti Island |
 |
Omanu Primary School pupils release 30 little blue penguins at Mount Manganui |
 |
Kerri Morgan gets a reluctant penguin on its way |
 |
Omanu Primary School pupils release 30 little blue penguins at Mount Manganui |
 |
Hori Ross blesses the birds before their release |
 |
Massey Wildlife Vet Brett Gartrell with Omanu school pupils |
 |
School puplis get a release briefing by Massey Vet Pauline Conayne. |
 |
Maketu residents Julian Fitter and Jayne Ivimey, with NZ dotterel expert John Dowding (centre) release a dotterel at Maketu Spit |
 |
Kaumatua Huriwaka Rewa and NZ dotterel expert John Dowding with one of the dotterel about to be released |
 |
A tagged dotterel at the Wildlife Centre |
 |
A tagged dotterel at the Wildlife Centre held by John Dowding Ornithologis. |
 |
A tagged dotterel at the Wildlife Centre. |
 |
A dotterel is tagged in preparation for release over the coming weeks. |
 |
Bill Dwyer, designer of the oiled wildlife washing facility containers |
 |
Bill Dwyer with an oiled wildlife storage container in Tauranga |
 |
An oiled wildlife washing facility container, designed by Bill Dwyer |
 |
Onlookers watch excitedly watch the first batch of cleaned penguins being released at Mt Maunganui. |
 |
The first batch of cleaned penguins are released back into the wild at Mt Maunganui. |
 |
The first batch of cleaned penguins are released back into the wild at Mt Maunganui. |
 |
The first batch of cleaned penguins are released back into the wild at Mt Maunganui. |
 |
Crowds waiting to watch the first release of cleaned penguins. |
 |
Crowds waiting to watch the first release of cleaned penguins. |
 |
Cleaned penguins undergoing a six hour swim test at the wildlife facility. |
 |
Cleaned penguins undergoing a six hour swim test at the wildlife facility. |
 |
Little blue penguin undergoing blood test and other vet checks prior to its release tomorrow! |
 |
Te Maunga Wildlife Response Centre - Facilities for the rare NZ dotterels are at the far left of this photo, left of the two large water tanks. |
 |
Te Maunga Wildlife Response Centre - The penguin enclosures and swimming pools are at the centre of this photo. |
 |
A little blue penguin goes through the treatment programme at the Oiled Response Wildlife Centre. |
 |
Oiled Wildlife Response teams work together to give penguins and other birds the best care. |
Top of page
 |
Oiled Wildlife Response Centre staff and volunteers are briefed on each of the day's tasks. |
 |
Vet Janelle Ward with a New Zealand Dotterel at the Wildlife Response Centre. |
 |
A little blue penguin gets the star wash treatment at the Oiled Wildlife Response Centre. |
 |
A little blue penguin gets the star wash treatment at the Oiled Wildlife Response Centre. |
Top of page
 |
A little blue penguin gets the star wash treatment at the Oiled Wildlife Response Centre. |
 |
A little blue penguin gets the star wash treatment at the Oiled Wildlife Response Centre. |
 |
A little blue penguin gets the star wash treatment at the Oiled Wildlife Response Centre. |
 |
Penguins swimming in the new enclosure at the Wildlife Recovery Centre. |
 |
Penguins swimming in the new enclosure at the Wildlife Recovery Centre. |
 |
Penguins are released into the new enclosure at the Wildlife Recovery Centre. |
Top of page
 |
Penguins are released into the new enclosure at the Wildlife Recovery Centre. |
 |
Michelle Bellizzi of International Bird Rescue checks the waterproofing on a little blue penguin. |
 |
Oiled Wildlife Facility staff feed anchovies to a little blue penguin. |
 |
New enclosure for little blue penguins at the Wildlife Response Centre at Te Maunga are well on the way to completion. |
 |
New enclosure for little blue penguins at the Wildlife Response Centre at Te Maunga are well on the way to completion. |
 |
Little Blue Penguins preening themeselves and enjoying the sun after a swim in their pool. |
 |
Little Blue Penguins preening themeselves and enjoying the sun after a swim in their pool. |
 |
DoC staff loading up gear for a wildlife assessment operation on Mayor Island. |
 |
A penguin covered in oil from the Rena oil spill awaits cleaning at the wildlife centre. |
 |
A penguin is rubbed down with cooking oil - one of liquids used to aid the removal of Rena fuel oil. |
Top of page
 |
A penguin has a bath at the wildlife response centre. |
 |
Wildlife response centre staff rinse off a penguin. |
 |
Birds who were casualties of the Rena oil spill. |
 |
Wildlife centre staff work on a bird. |
 |
One of the 285 birds being held in Oiled Wildlife Response facility in Tauranga. |
 |
A little blue penguin swims in a pool at the Oiled Wildlife Response facility in Tauranga. |
 |
A penguin awaits cleaning at the Oiled Wildlife Response facility. |
 |
Penguins swim in the pool at Oiled Wildlife Response facility. |
 |
A little blue penguin awaits dinner. |
 |
What the seabirds have been eating - pureed fish. |
Top of page
 |
Little blue penguins in an enclosure at the wildlife centre. |
 |
A cormorant wrapped in a towel at the wildlife centre. |
 |
A penguin - one of hundreds been kept at the wildlife centre. |
 |
Penguins taking care of each other at the wildlife centre. |
 |
Ornithologist David Melville with a rare and protected New Zealand dotterell, at risk from Rena's oil spill. |
 |
New Zealand's rare and protected dotterel, whose favourite haunt is a sandy beach, is being especially watched and cared for while there is a risk to its habitat. |
 |
An aerial photo of the wildlife recovery centre beside Tauranga's wastewater treatment plant. On Friday, 21st October the centre had 285 patients, most of them Little Blue penguins, which usually respond very well to treatment after being cleaned of oil and fed. None have yet been returned to the wild. |
 |
DOC staff capture a rare New Zealand Dotterell to take into protective captivity. |
 |
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key with Little Blue penguins, recovering from their encounter with fuel oil from the container ship Rena. |
Top of page
 |
A rare New Zealand Dotterel in an enclosure at the purpose-built facility in the Wildlife Centre. |
 |
Little Blue penguins recover after beng coated in oil from the grounded container ship Rena. |
 |
Helicopter Crewman Sergeant Karl Borck assists Department of Conservation Rangers to load oiled penguins aboard an Air Force Iroquois helicopter from Motiti Island. |
 |
One of the penguins being cared for at the wildlife rehabilitation facility set up at Tauranga. |
 |
One of the penguins being cared for at the wildlife rehabilitation facility set up at Tauranga. |
 |
One of the pied shags at the wildlife restoration centre takes a swim to help restore its waterproofing. |
 |
Wildlife response teams are briefed at the Oiled Wildlife Response Centre before heading out into the field. |
 |
One of the oiled penguins that has been treated and cleaned at the rehabilitation facility set up at Tauranga. |
Top of page
 |
Oiled shag being cleaned by wildlife veterinarian Dr Brett Gartrell and Aimee Forster at the wildlife rehabilitation facility set up at Tauranga. |
 |
Oiled shag being cleaned at the wildlife rehabilitation facility set up at Tauranga. |
 |
Morning briefing at the wildlife rehabilitation facility set up at Tauranga. |
 |
Massey University veterinarians Brett Gartrell and Pauline Canayne feeding an oiled penguin at the wildlife rehabilitation facility set up at Tauranga. |
 |
Massey University veterinarians Brett Gartrell and Pauline Canayne feeding an oiled penguin at the wildlife rehabilitation facility set up at Tauranga. |
Top of page
 |
An oiled penguin being treated at the wildlife rehabilitation facility set up at Tauranga. |
 |
An oiled penguin being treated at the wildlife rehabilitation facility set up at Tauranga. |
 |
Oiled penguins being treated at the wildlife rehabilitation facility set up at Tauranga. |
 |
Kerri Morgan, Oiled Wildlife Response Coordinator (NOWT), briefs Transport Minister Steven Joyce (left) and MP for Tauranga Simon Bridges (centre) at the wildlife response centre set up at Tauranga. |
 |
Kerri Morgan, Oiled Wildlife Response Coordinator (NOWT), briefs Transport Minister Steven Joyce at the wildlife response centre set up at Tauranga. |
Top of page
 |
Kerri Morgan, Oiled Wildlife Response Coordinator (NOWT), briefs volunteers at the wildlife response centre set up at Tauranga. |
 |
Kerri Morgan, Oiled Wildlife Response Coordinator (NOWT), briefs volunteers at the wildlife response centre set up at Tauranga. |
