March of the penguins: Waiheke marina developers can move kororā, DOC says

Thursday, 31 March 2022

It’s a year since Kennedy Point marina construction started and the Protect Pūtiki group was formed. (First published March 9, 2022)

The developers of Waiheke’s Kennedy Point Marina will now be able to capture and move kororā, little blue penguins, found during construction work.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) has granted authority under the Wildlife Act for approved handlers to capture, handle and relocate kororā during work on the rock breakwater where they nest.

Protect Pūtiki, a group of kaitiaki (guardians) which has opposed the Auckland marina since construction started a year ago, said it was “outraged” at the decision.

“They have failed to protect wildlife,” the group said.

Distressed little blue penguin Mauriora was found at Kennedy Point Bay and nursed back to health at Native Bird Rescue on Waiheke.

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Protect Pūtiki spokesperson Māia Week on the rock breakwater where kororā nest.

DOC said granting the authority was in the best interests of kororā welfare and would ensure their physical safety.

Director of planning permissions and land Natasha Ryburn said DOC considered the fact that without the Wildlife Act Authority, the works would require ‘passive eviction’ where the developer would need to wait for the kororā to move out of the way as rocks were removed.

“This method is considered a higher risk to the kororā, and we have an obligation to require the safest method to protect them,” she said.

Kennedy Point Marina director Kitt Littlejohn said the application for a Wildlife Act Authority was a “precautionary measure”.

A little blue penguin swimming in the paddling pool at Waiheke’s Native Bird Rescue.

“We are hopeful that no kororā will need to be handled during this short phase of construction,” he said.

The authority meant if they did find kororā, ecologist Dr Leigh Bull would be allowed to handle the birds and release them further along the breakwater.

She would be on-site at all times when rocks were being moved, Littlejohn said.

DOC operations manager Kat Lane said nothing would stop the kororā from returning, but they wouldn’t return until it was dark. The area was inspected daily to make sure there were no penguins present.

Protect Pūtiki spokesperson Māia Week said they were concerned about kororā returning to their home site “which in this case will have huge piles through it”.

Littlejohn said the rocks would be put back within a maximum of six weeks and the kororā habitat reinstated.

“Ecologists engaged for the project have advised that the kororā will use other areas of the breakwater not being disturbed during this time,” he said.

DOC said it had taken into account advice from technical experts and the views of iwi, but Protect Pūtiki said the decision “prioritised the wants of wealthy developers over the voices and knowledge of mana whenua, tāngata whenua and community members”.

Lane said DOC “acknowledge[s] the community concerns that kororā will be disturbed by the construction”.

“We have assessed this risk as low, and as part of the conditions, DOC staff will be overseeing the temporary relocation by the approved external handlers.

“DOC science and technical advice is kororā are robust birds and tolerant of disturbance.”

Work on the controversial marina started in March 2021. It has been held up by court cases, direct action from protectors and Covid lockdowns.

In April 2021, protestors in kayaks got between the construction barge and the rock breakwater to stop work they said could harm little blue penguins.