I now think that King Penguin will be there, if not moved by authorities,
for perhaps another two weeks. the original assessment that it had nearly
completed its moult was mistaken. It was actually just starting.
Incidentally, no one suppressed this information. My understanding is that
it was found by a non-birder on Wednesday 18 Feb. 'somewhere in the Port
MacDonnell area'. Bob Green learned of this on the Friday and disseminated
this limited info. Rob Farnes 'put in the hard yards' by walking all beaches
until he found it late on Saturday. This was because Murphy's law applied.
He started in the morning at the wrong end of course!
The bird should not be moved. Apparently it is safe and indifferent to
people so long as it can enter the sea and return to the beach unimpeded.
Authorities have erected a fence to give it space and this seems sufficient.
Ken Simpson, a penguin expert agrees, saying that the 'Apollo Bay/Otway
coast' Fiordland died precisely because it was taken into care. It
contracted the lung disease brought on by confinement.
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mt Eliza VIC 3930
Ph: (03) 9787 7136
Email:
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