Two of the three little blue penguins or kororā that were discovered at Little Kaiteriteri on Sunday and found to have been killed by dogs. Photo: Supplied by Tasman Bay Blue Penguin Trust
Conservationists are devastated by the tragic loss of several little penguins to dog attacks at Little Kaiteriteri in the top of the South Island.
They say fatal attacks have long been a problem in the area and more needs to be done to protect the native birds from becoming locally extinct.
Tasman Bay Blue Penguin Trust's Linda Jenkins said the three penguins were discovered on Sunday during routine checks and appeared to have died several days earlier.
"I was really frustrated and very angry, because it is so preventable and then once I'd processed it a bit, I just felt so incredibly sad," Jenkins said.
Two of the penguins were a successful breeding pair and the other a juvenile adult, thought to be one of their offspring.
"We've been monitoring these two penguins for three years and we know they are a great breeding pair and they work so hard to bring up their chicks, so this is just such a devastating end to what has been a very productive life for them."
The fatal attacks in the last week means nine penguins have been killed by dogs at Little Kaiteriteri in the last six months.
Little penguins, also known as little blue penguins or kororā, are the smallest penguins in the world.
Jenkins said penguins killed by dogs did not often have visible wounds, but massive internal injuries from being grabbed and shaken.
Wildlife vet Dr Mana Stratton examining the little blue penguins. Photo: Supplied by Tasman Bay Blue Penguin Trust
Necropsies by wildlife vet Dr Mana Stratton had confirmed the three penguins died as a result of dog attacks.
She was devastated by their deaths and wanted to see more done to ensure penguins were protected.
"Basically it's getting to the point where I'm doing more postmortems for dog attacks than penguins I'm managing to rehab and release now," Stratton said.
Penguins could be killed by a well-trained dog in a matter of seconds, as shaking the bird was all it took to cause fatal internal injuries, she said. Even a curious dog that did not touch a penguin could scare them away from their nest, leaving young birds exposed and vulnerable.
Stratton said dog owners needed to take responsibility and there needed to be better bylaws, more enforcement and specific off-leash areas for dogs - away from vulnerable wildlife.
A survey of the coastline from Split Apple Rock to Tapu Bay using a penguin detection dog in 2020 identified 173 active burroughs, indicating a population of over 300 birds live on that stretch of coastline.
Jenkins said the trust was established last year, after five years of conservation work protecting the population of little penguins in Tasman Bay.
A group of around 15 volunteers check and maintain trap lines, while the trust ensures nest boxes are available for penguins.
Jenkins said the current Tasman District Council bylaw required dogs to be under "effective control" but not on a leash at certain beaches in the district.
The bylaw is up for review in the next year and Jenkins said the trust would be advocating to better protect Tasman Bay's kororā.
"Unless we do something around here as a matter of urgency, we seriously risk little blue penguins becoming locally extinct and that's not a very good legacy to be handing down to future generations."
Linda Jenkins says penguins killed by dogs often have massive internal injuries from being grabbed and shaken, but no visible wounds. Photo: Supplied by Tasman Bay Blue Penguin Trust
Department of Conservation biodiversity ranger Ivan Rogers said unfortunately dog attacks on penguins were a "pretty regular occurrence" in the area.
In his 17 years working in the Motueka region, dog attacks on penguins had been an ongoing problem, particularly at Little Kaiteriteri beach and surrounds.
"We did have a flat track here covered with dead penguins from a single dog attack going back quite a few years."
The area was a hotspot for kororā and DOC were grateful for the work of the Tasman Bay Blue Penguin Trust in protecting them, he said.
"The combination of beaches, headlands, open water and cliffs means that it's great real estate for penguins and there's abundant places for them to make burrows."
It was often difficult to identify the dog and its owner given a fatal attack could be over in seconds, he said.
Little penguins were also vulnerable to being hit when crossing the road to access their burrows and predation from ferrets, stoats and cats, Rogers said.
Recent marine heatwaves were also making things more difficult for kororā - as they had to swim out further to find fish and often had to hunt for much longer to get enough food.
"Life is getting harder for them to get to a sufficient condition to breed and for the juveniles that have been that pampered by their parents for months on end, then they have to find their own way in the world, basically many die of starvation at that point, they simply can't get enough to eat."
If people see a penguin attack or an injured or distressed penguin - they are encouraged to call the 24 hour helpline 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468). If DOC are unable to respond in the local area, volunteers from the Tasman Bay Blue Penguin Trust will.