After washing ashore in Portland, Victoria, starved and thousands of kilometres from its New Zealand home, a Tawaki penguin has been nursed back to health and released into the ocean.
Tawaki is the Māori name for the Fiordland penguin and it’s believed only about 7,000 of them remain on Earth.
Weeks of patient, specialised care brought this rare and endangered bird back from the brink, nursed by volunteer wildlife carer Tracey Wilson.
Each year, Ms Wilson cares for about 500 animals at her Koroit-based Mosswood Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre.
With specialist knowledge of caring for animals, Ms Wilson has been running the centre for 17 years.
It is built to cater to penguins, seabirds and koalas and, without ongoing government funding, it relies on volunteer power and donations.
Mostly, Ms Wilson receives injured koalas, so when an exotic species like the Tawaki penguin arrives on her doorstep, she says her “world stops”.
She pours her time into multiple daily feeds, pool rehabilitation and “cave building”.
“They are awesome. I believe caring for any wildlife is a privilege, but being able to care for these guys is super special. They are my fun place!” Ms Wilson says.
“There’s just something about penguins, and these guys are inquisitive, they’re interesting.
“Their expressions, everything about them, I find absolutely fascinating.”
This winter, Ms Wilson has cared for two Tawaki penguins, and several more have washed ashore on Australia’s southern coastline in South Australia and Western Australia.
Melbourne Zoo’s Marine Response Unit has observed a seasonal increase in Tawaki penguins, including seven reports from members of the public.
Since June, one Tawaki penguin was discovered deceased, four were found unwell and transported to veterinary care where they were humanely euthanased, and two were assessed by the response unit and returned to the wild.
Ms Wilson believes had she not received her pair of starved Tawaki penguins, they may also have been euthanased.
She urges anyone who finds a distressed penguin on the beach to get the experts involved.
“A penguin on the beach, lying down is a penguin in trouble,” she says.
“Please seek help from your closest wildlife carer or marine authority, and don’t pick it up for a selfie.”
Watching her care for the rare birds is impressive and touching.
These wild and independent creatures, who have washed up from the deep blue, clearly trust her.
Can’t waddle, can’t walk
When the two Tawaki penguins were handed to Ms Wilson, they were close to death.
“When they first came in, they are very dehydrated and we have to tube them fluids,” she says.
The most recent arrival is still too weak to stand.
Instead, it lies on its belly in a cave constructed of towels and blankets, waiting for Ms Wilson to come and feed it fish by hand.
