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Hi all.
As well as the stress, dehydration and the liver
complaint already mentioned the King Penguin has a parasitic problem -
Coccidiosis. This was mentioned on ABC Radio by the local District
Ranger.
I wholeheardtedly agree with Rohan Clarke's
comments about developing some kind of guidelines for future penguin arrivals,
we will be having a meeting with NPWS in Mt Gambier to go over a few things in
regards to this one. One problem I can see when acceptable distances are
discussed is this, Antarctic guidelines would have I imagine been developed with
relatively low visitor numbers in mind, our King Penguin had just over a week of
almost constant attention.
The barrier was erected on the first beach about
30m from the bird, acceptable we may think but the problem was when the tide
came in the bird could or would not move from this location, (even to the extent
of clambering up the rocks to escape the incoming tide) as it would have
involved going past the barrier and those onlookers present, the next morning I
asked for the barrier to be moved further back and around lunchtime that
day the bird went for a short swim and came out on the main part of the beach.
The stuation in a breeding colony or well known location may be easier to manage
as the birds are probably fairly predictable but in a situation such as this we
should err on the side of caution and allow the bird more than we think it may
need just in case.
I too have been told that all going well the bird
will be released once recovered.
Bob Green
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