It appears that not only cats kill cute little birds…and Gareth Morgan isn’t the only one to kill penguins:
A little blue penguin has died after being picked up and handled by members of the public.
Department of Conservation Motueka biodiversity manager Bruce Vander Lee said DOC received reports on Tuesday of a penguin being seen under a bush at Little Kaiteriteri near a pipe which he thought it may have been using as a burrow.
‘‘At that point someone decided it needed help and moved it.’’
DOC Motuka then received a chain of phone calls about the penguin being handled.
The area office staff told callers that the bird should be left alone and placed back under the bush.
‘‘That evidently happened but not much later we had a call from a lady who said she had checked on the penguin and it looked very ill.
‘‘She was there when it died.’’
Mr Vander Lee said the penguin was checked over by wildlife vet Mana Stratton, who found it was an adult bird just coming out of its moult.
