A torch placed at the end of the penguins’ new 25m wildlife underpass under Waterfront Rd was guiding birds learning to use New Zealand’s first penguin underpass, Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony marine biologist Dr Philippa Agnew said.
The device to entice penguins into the 45cm diameter entrance at night came after some ‘‘trial and error’’. Earlier this month, staff had played recorded penguin calls at the far end of the tunnel to help entice birds
into the culvert but the ruse failed.
They then tried the light at the end of the tunnel, which worked.
"Now that there are specific individuals that know what it’s about and go straight up it [the tunnel], hopefully they’ll teach the other new ones that haven’t maybe come across it yet. They like to follow each other."
Some birds initially walked back and forth along the fence in place to funnel the birds towards the underpass entrance, but Dr Agnew said the penguins were never expected to adapt ‘‘overnight’’ to the change at the crossing they habitually used.
Jason Gaskill, general manager of Tourism Waitaki, which oversees the colony, said he was "happy with progress to date" at the underpass and said it would help to manage disturbance of the protected birds.
He noted Tourism Waitaki and the Waitaki District Council had reached a "mutual agreement" on the fencing at the site. The fence was initially criticised by some in the community, including Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher, who argued it unnecessarily blocked views of the harbour.
Mr Kircher said he was pleased with the "compromise" which "opened up views" but also benefited the birds.
Council property manager Renee Julius confirmed Mr Gaskill and Mr Kircher had agreed the corrugated iron on the fence would be changed to run vertically, the height of the fence would be reduced along the slipway, and the top of the fence could be capped where people might lean over it. Mr Kircher, in his October report to the council, said "the episode underlines the strong need to ensure that we are aware of what is going on in the area and that we have input into most matters there," he wrote.
This week Mr Kircher was appointed chairman of a newly-created council harbour area committee which includes Crs Jeremy Holding, Guy Percival, Melanie Tavendale, Colin Wollstein and Jim Hopkins.
