Little Penguin Rescue Guide
What to do if you find an injured Little Penguin? We’ve put together a guide to help.
What to do if I find a Little Penguin that requires help?
If a Little Penguin is moulting, you will see downy feathers around it (Photo 1). They will look dishevelled with their feathers appearing worn and fluffed. Little Penguins undertake a moult once a year approximately between February to April taking 15-20 days, during this time, they are not waterproof and are vulnerable to pets off leash, human activity and predators such as foxes or cats.
It is not normal to find a penguin on a beach during daylight hours. If you find a Little Penguin and it appears to be injured or in danger, call Australian Seabird & Turtle Rescue South Coast (ASTR) if they can’t respond, call the local National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) Office. NPWS will give advice and contact the relevant experts and or carers and will also monitor the bird ensuring its safety.
If you are in a remote location, and you feel comfortable doing so, you can contain the penguin by placing a towel or blanket over them and placing them in a plastic box for transport at least 30 x 30 x 35 cms, lined with a clean towel, use clean gloves only.
When transporting penguins ensure they are covered but have airflow and are not exposed to direct sun or hot spaces, no background noise (radio or music playing), ensure domestic pets are nowhere near a penguin, do not put them in boots of cars or on the back of utility vehicles.
First Little Penguin to moult at Wheel Cove using a wooden box made by Izaak Graham-Higgs, notice the downy feathers and lack of sheen on its feathers.
Shows a Little Penguin nearly at the end of a moult.
Who should I contact for rescue advice?
First contacts are National Parks and Wildlife Service Merimbula Office 02 6495 5000 and Australian Seabird & Turtle Rescue South Coast on 0431 282 238 and if no response call a local carer group such as WIRES on 1300 094 737 or Wildlife Rescue South Coast on 0417 238 921.
What will happen to the Little Penguin?
The Little Penguin if in need of rehabilitation will be transferred to a specialised wildlife organisation licensed under the Biodiversity Conservation Act (2016), there are only a small number of experienced carers in this region.
Where is the local rehabilitation site?
There is a purpose-built site in the Bega Valley specifically designed for seabirds such as Little Penguins. The site is not open to the public due to the sensitive nature of rehabilitating Little Penguins and seabirds.
The site has a dedicated seabird aviary and several pre-release pools to ensure Little Penguins are fit and waterproof prior to release.
The site is managed by Penny Beaver who is a licensed member of Australian Seabird & Turtle Rescue. Penny has over a decade in triaging and rehabilitating seabirds, specialising in Little Penguins. Previously, holding the position of General Manager of a wildlife hospital specialising in Little Penguin’s for Phillip Island Nature Parks in Victoria. Last year she served as the General Manager of a wildlife facility in northern New South Wales which specialised in the rehabilitation of seabirds, marine turtles and sea snakes.
Penny is currently an Associate Research Fellow at Deakin University's Deakin Marine Research and Innovation Centre, focusing on seabird ecology, tracking Little Penguins and seabirds along the south-eastern and southern habitats of our oceans.
There is also a carer in Merimbula, with some experience of rehabilitating Little Penguins, who is part of WIRES and ASTR.
Photo of a Little Penguin in a pre-release pool in the Bega Valley.
Where do we release the Little Penguin?
A Little Penguin has already been released at Wheel Cove in 2020, as it is a safe site due to a predator fence around the top of the sea gutter. The site however is not as safe for human visitor being very steep and has unstable rocks.
There are specific pre-release requirements to be met before Little Penguins can be released such as body condition and waterproofing, Eden Cove is a safe release site. When a Little Penguin is assessed ready to be released, we will be guided by the experts in this field as it takes many years to develop skills to successfully rehabilitate them.
Apollo rehabilitated by Janine and Baron from WIRES, in Merimbula and released at Wheel Cove.