Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony

At the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony, like at Phillip Island in Australia, there is a strict prohibition against any form of photography, including video. I was able to take lots of pictures of the colony's conservation efforts, but any pictures of little blue penguins in this post are taken from their website.

First, I enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of the colony with my guide, Lynne, pictured below. She gave an overview of the life cycle and physical characteristics of the little blue penguin (the smallest penguin in the world at 30 cm tall), as well as a description of the colony's work tracking the statistical information of the penguins that nest there (who mates with whom, how many eggs are laid, etc.). There are several nest boxes set up in an indoor area with special lighting and viewing boxes for people. On Thursday, a penguin couple had decided to stay in for the day in nest number nine, so I was able to look in the viewing box and see the penguins up-close through the glass. They looked fat and happy, and Lynne said that sometimes couples stay behind in their nests all day for some "romantic bonding."

At Phillip Island, the little blue penguins (often called "fairy penguins" in Australia), came out of the water by way of a sandy beach and path. At Oamaru, however, the penguins came out of the water on a rocky shore and climbed up a difficult cliff before crossing a footpath and marching through the fence to their nest boxes. On Thursday evening just after sundown, forty-nine penguins clambered up to shore. They were unbelievably cute and clumsy, some of them tipping over as they walked, heaving themselves up the rocks on their stomachs, or losing their balance and falling back a few feet. In any case, the group of five or six penguins would wait for the other penguin to get his bearings and catch up; then they would move on. Seeing these little blue penguins come home for the night has to be one of the sweetest sights on earth.

1. Lynne explains the physical characteristics of the little blue penguin. The penguin's skeleton is much more dense and heavy than that of other birds, because its bones function as a sort of weight-belt to help with diving. Since it doesn't need to fly, light bones would only inhibit a penguin's ability to fish. 2. Young little blue penguins take a short break on the rocks.

1. A pair of little blue penguins hanging out at home. 2. Nesting boxes set into a small hill.

1. One of the nesting boxes (notice the trail of feathers leading out the door). Biologist observers check the penguins' armbands daily by lifting the stone and the roof of the box. This allows for minimum penguin disturbance. 2. A little blue penguin heads for the nest.

1. A little blue penguin navigates the rocky shore. 2. The beach where the little blue penguins struggle up the rocks and onto shore.

1. At the entrance and exit of Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony. The signs are not meant for humor; these are actual government traffic signs, put there because sometimes penguins wander past the nests and out into the road. 2. Me and the huge photo-op penguin in the gift shop.