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Position and direction of travel of the Protected Species Detection Dog when employing (a) grid sweep and (b) ridge search scenting tactics to locate little penguins (Eudyptula minor).
Source publication
The identification and subsequent protection of suitable breeding habitat for little penguins (Eudyptula minor) is restricted by data deficiency across large stretches of the species range. For example, presence/absence data is lacking for much of the Canterbury coast, mainland New Zealand. In October 2019, a Protected Species Detection Dog was use...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... tactics were grid sweeps (working crosswise to a northerly or southerly wind and progressing in an east-to-west zig-zag pattern over relatively flat terrain, Fig. 1a) and ridge searches (working crosswise to an easterly (onshore) wind and progressing along an altitudinal ridge at the eastern section boundary, Fig. 1b). The dog-handler team achieved a consistent search effort across heterogenous terrain by alternating and adapting search techniques depending on the prevailing wind direction, ...
Context 2
... tactics were grid sweeps (working crosswise to a northerly or southerly wind and progressing in an east-to-west zig-zag pattern over relatively flat terrain, Fig. 1a) and ridge searches (working crosswise to an easterly (onshore) wind and progressing along an altitudinal ridge at the eastern section boundary, Fig. 1b). The dog-handler team achieved a consistent search effort across heterogenous terrain by alternating and adapting search techniques depending on the prevailing wind direction, topography, and habitat type. In a tailwind, the dog was given more room and time to scent back and change direction if needed. Target location was communicated ...
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For 11 breeding seasons, a colony of little penguins (Eudyptula minor) was monitored at South Bay, Kaikōura. The 106 breeding attempts from 86 pairings consisted of 68 single clutches, eight attempts made up four replacement clutches (an unsuccessful original clutch followed by a second clutch by a pair in one season), 26 attempts consisting of 13...
This study describes Renicola websterae n. sp., a newly identified kidney fluke (Renicolidae: Trematoda) infecting two penguin species from New Zealand, the little blue penguin (Eudyptula novaehollandiae) and the Fiordland crested penguin (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus). Morphological and molecular analyses, including phylogenies based on cox1 and 28S gen...
Recent fossil discoveries from New Zealand have revealed a remarkably diverse assemblage of Paleocene stem group penguins. Here, we add to this growing record by describing nine new penguin specimens from the late Paleocene (upper Teurian local stage; 55.5–59.5 Ma) Moeraki Formation of the South Island, New Zealand. The largest specimen is assigned...
Citations
... 24 Blue penguins (Spheniscidae, Eudyptula minor), also known as little penguins, little blue penguins, fairy penguins, and their Māori name kororā, live and breed along the coast of New Zealand. 3 Although listed as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2020, populations have been decreasing and are considered at risk due to a number of threats. 3 We describe here a novel alphaherpesvirus associated with myocardial degeneration and necrosis and splenic reticuloendothelial (RE) cell hyperplasia and necrosis in Eudyptula minor in a zoo collection. ...
... 3 Although listed as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2020, populations have been decreasing and are considered at risk due to a number of threats. 3 We describe here a novel alphaherpesvirus associated with myocardial degeneration and necrosis and splenic reticuloendothelial (RE) cell hyperplasia and necrosis in Eudyptula minor in a zoo collection. On 2021 Feb 9, a 9-y-old female blue penguin at the Bronx Zoo (Bronx, NY, USA) was found dead in its nest (case 1). ...
We identified a novel herpesvirus in 2 deceased captive blue penguins ( Eudyptula minor). Moderate-to-severe myocardiocyte atrophy and necrosis, and eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies (INIBs), were seen in myocardiocytes in one bird; reticuloendothelial (RE) cell INIBs and multifocal RE cell necrosis were seen in both birds. The histologic findings were suggestive of viral infection. A herpesvirus PCR assay was positive in myocardial tissue from the bird with myocardial degeneration and in splenic tissue from both birds. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showed that the virus, accessioned as spheniscid alphaherpesvirus 2 (SpAHV2), groups within the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily and forms a unique branch point in a subclade containing members of the Mardivirus, Simplexvirus, and Varicellovirus genera. Herpesvirus screening of tissues from 8 additional blue penguin postmortem examination cases (7 spleen, 1 liver) and combined conjunctival-choanal-cloacal swab samples from 13 live penguins revealed 5 additional dead and 7 live penguins that were positive for SpAHV2. The presence of SpAHV2 in healthy live animals and lack of significant herpesvirus-associated lesions as the cause of death in 6 of 7 SpAHV2-positive dead penguins suggests that this virus may be an endemic in blue penguins, and that recrudescence may cause disease and death.
... CDDHTs can help overcome difficul[es in conduc[ng seabird popula[on surveys due to their lack of reliance on visual informa[on and ability to cover large areas more quickly than humans (Kerley 2010 (Russell et al. 2008;Bellingham et al. 2010;Pierce et al. 2015;Robinson et al. 2015;Springer 2018;Phillips 2019;Robinson & Gadd 2020). In the few cases where CDDHTs have been ac[vely used to detect seabirds, they have found nests or burrows of species like Liole Penguin Eudyptula minor (Cargill et al. 2022), Band-rumped Storm-petrel Hydrobates castro (Galase 2019), Black Petrel Procellaria parkinsoni (Bell et al. 2014), and Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus (Bolton et al. 2021). Although CDDHTs can be costly to hire, it is important to understand why they have been underu[lised in seabird conserva[on management given their poten[al benefits. ...
... Persistent problems that occur in CDD studies include a lack of methodological detail on training and searches (Johnen et al. 2017;Benneo 2020), small sample sizes when assessing CDDHT performance (Lazarowski et al. 2020;Whitehouse-Tedd et Seabird 36 (2024) h"ps: //doi.org/10.61350/sbj.36.2 Conserva;on detec;on dogs in seabird research al. 2021), and inconsistency regarding the measures used to evaluate a CDD's performance (Johnen et al. 2017;Hayes et al. 2018). Furthermore, it appears that much of the literature regarding prac[cal seabird conserva[on, both including and excluding CDDHTs, goes unpublished, as exampled by the following studies which refer to and use findings and data from unpublished work: Russell et al. 2008;Bellingham et al. 2010;Bell et al. 2014;Parker & Rexer-Huber 2015Robinson et al. 2015;VanderWerf & Young 2017;Cargill et al. 2022. This means that researchers are prevented from learning from previous studies and may be making the same mistakes as others, thus exacerba[ng the need to move towards standardisa[on of survey methods used. ...
Conservation detection dog handler teams (CDDHTs) offer many potential benefits to the world of conservation. Seabird populations are an important component of marine ecosystems. However, they are threatened by several anthropogenic activities, including the introduction of invasive species. Although CDDHT can support seabird conservation through invasive species management efforts and population assessments, they are under-utilised. A lack of methodological standardisation within CDDHT work and the under-publishing of their use within seabird research leads to difficulties in conducting new CDDHT seabird-related studies due to an inability to learn from previous research. This study aimed to address these shortcomings by investigating the techniques and methods used by those actively working with, or planning to work with, CDDHT on a seabird project to better understand them, and propose best practices in the field. Seven professionals who have used, or will use, CDDHT as part of a seabird project (four handlers, three ecologists/researchers) participated in structured written surveys which were thematically analysed. Five superordinate themes emerged from the survey data: Training, Location, Role of Handler, Wildlife Considerations, and Dog Selection Criteria, with the first two themes having several subordinate themes. A summary of best practices was developed from the findings, with notable recommendations including preparation across all project elements, networking with other professionals, and making judgments on the use of techniques like discrimination and field trials based on the specific project and dog(s). These results can serve to benefit future seabird studies involving CDDHT as well as supporting the development of standardisation in the CDDHT field.
... These behaviours have not been as frequently observed in the New Zealand lineage of little penguins potentially because of genetic differences. However, these behavioural differences could also be due to lower population numbers of New Zealand lineage colonies in comparison to the Australian colonies, or due to the generally limited monitoring efforts over large parts of New Zealand (Dann 1994;BirdLife International 2020;Cargill et al. 2020). In Wellington (New Zealand), little penguins have been identified to be genetically different from Australian little penguins (i.e. ...
Little penguins (Eudyptula minor), or Kororā in Māori, show variation in their behavioural responses towards zoo visitors in Australian zoos. We experimentally examined the effects of visitor presence on the behaviour and stress physiology of little penguins at Wellington Zoo, New Zealand. The two treatments were: (1) Visitor presence – the exhibit was open to visitors; and (2) Visitor absence – the exhibit was closed to visitors. We found that when the exhibit was closed to visitors, the percentage of penguins observed close to the visitor viewing pier increased from about 1% to 9%, but there was little effect on other behaviours and faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations. This result of increased avoidance of the visitor viewing pier when the exhibit was open to visitors suggests close visitor contact, particularly from above, may be fear-provoking for these penguins. We conclude that designing enclosures to allow close viewing proximity of visitors, such as visitors looming over the pool, may be futile in improving visitor experience, since this species of penguins is likely to avoid these types of viewing areas when visitors are present. Visitors positioned close to and above penguins may be particularly problematic since visitors in this position may be perceived as threatening.
Artificial structures are ubiquitous
features of urbanized coastal landscapes, but research and management solutions have focused on
lower shore communities, neglecting
the terrestrial-marine transitional
zone. The ecological role of
supralittoral habitats on artificial
structures generates unique opportunities for the conservation of native species and reducing the spread of
nondesired species.
Dogs as research assistants in wildlife conservation have been used since the twentieth century. The experimental and quasi-experimental research on their efficiency, accuracy, and reliability is more recent and does not exceed a few decades. We start by discussing the potential and overlooked conceptual and methodological contributions of psychophysics to the training and assessment of wildlife conservation canines. We then briefly discuss issues around transects in search and question the validity and relevance of this anthropocentric approach. The remainder of this chapter is a comprehensive and critical review of the literature. An important part of this review is a summary table (appendix) of the main research we collated identifying the specific goals, species, methods, and the overall results and conclusions of each peer-reviewed publication.
