Children from Piha Community Pre-school helped paint and decorate all the roost/nest boxes. Photo: Supplied / Auckland Council
Little penguins in West Auckland are being given a safe place to breed and nest, as brood boxes are installed along North Piha beach.
They were painted by children from Piha Community Pre-school before the 20 boxes were installed by council and local dotterel minders.
Piha NZ Dotterel Minder Dudley Bell said the boxes had more than one benefit.
"In the future it will allow more monitoring of breeding success and perhaps other actions researchers might want to pursue on this west coast area," he said.
Piha NZ Dotterel Minder Dudley Bell and Council Conservation Advisor Chris Bindon at Tai Haruru Lodge before roost box installation. Photo: Supplied / Auckland Council
Bell said the boxes would also help to protect the penguins from predators.
Many penguin habitats were destroyed by extreme storms like Cyclone Gabrielle, earlier this year.
"We're well aware that many previously used holes in rocks and under trees were used by penguins were covered by the slips from the cyclone," Bell said.
He said there had been more sightings of penguin footprints along Piha beach in recent months.